IRTH OF A 



C, ife A n d La bors Of 
D.S.WARNER 




Class 

Book- 

Copyright N° 



C0FXRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




Mfa 



HyisvUSts 



Birth of a Reformation 

or 

The Life and Labors of 
Daniel S. Warner 

By A. L. Byers 




4 'It shall come to pass, that at evening time 
it shall be light." 



GOSPEL TRUMPET COMPANY, ANDERSON, IND. 

Los Angeles, Cal. Kansas City, Mo. 

132 V2 S. Spring St. 1116 McGee St. 



Ctrl* Y 



Copyright, 1921, by Gospel Trumpet Company. 



JUN -2 1321 
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PREFACE 

A quarter century has elapsed since the passing of 
D. S. Warner from the scenes of his earthly activity, and 
full forty years have gone since the beginning of the great 
reform of which his labors constituted so large a part. 
While there are many still living whose personal knowl- 
edge of him and his ministry will suffice to them for an 
encouraging testimony of Christian attainment and of 
God's marvelous use of human instrumentality when per- 
mitted to have his way, the time has come when the ab- 
sence of any published account of this remarkable man 
begins to be felt. The rising generation and the genera- 
tions that follow should have access to a study of such an 
example of Christian devotion and usefulness, as well 
as of God's faithfulness to one who will fully trust him. 
When it was announced that a biography was contem- 
plated, the proposition at once met with hearty approval 
and encouragement. 

That due to the lapse of years there should be some 
difficulty in securing the necessary data with reference to 
his early life is of course consequential. His brothers 
and sisters are all deceased. A nephew and a niece and 
some of his earlier acquaintances were interviewed, and 
correspondence was had with other relatives and acquaint- 
ances. The most valuable acquisition, however, was the 
use of his diaries, kindly granted by his son, D. Sidney 
Warner, now living in Canton, Ohio. These diaries do 
not cover all of his early ministerial career, but the quota- 
tions from them will reveal the Christian character of the 
man as well as show considerable of his itinerancy and of 
the facts of his life. 

As to the source of information respecting the latter 
period of his ministry, when his work took the character 
of a reform, recourse has been had to the files of the 



PREFACE 5 

periodicals he edited and also to the personal recollections 
of some who were pioneers with him in the movement. 
Of these may be mentioned as giving particular informa- 
tion Mrs. Allie R. (Fisher) Allen, Lansing, Mich.; 
William N. Smith, North Star, Mich. ; David Leininger, 
Akron, Ind; Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Howard, Nappanee, 
Ind.; Mrs. Anna J. Slagle, Bucyrus, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. 
B. E. Warren, Springfield, Ohio; and Mrs. Frankie 
Warner, Anderson, Ind. 

It was my privilege to have a personal acquaintance 
with D. S. Warner and to be more or less closely asso- 
ciated with him during the last five years of his life. To 
one who never knew him personally no printed account 
can afford an adequate conception of what it was to come 
in contact with this wonderful ambassador of God, whose 
presence wrought conviction in the unregenerate, and in- 
spired confidence and courage in the hearts of believers. 
The divine manifestations in his preaching, his prayers, 
and his ministrations can not be told. Many very strik- 
ing instances of physical healing which we have not space 
to speak of attended his ministry ; but that these pages may 
reveal, if in no other light than the historical, that here 
is an example of true consecration, devotion, courage, 
diligence, humility, faith, patience, kindness, self-denial, 
and the Christian graces generally, that is worthy of being 
followed, is the earnest hope of 

The Author. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. INTRODUCTION 11 

A glance over Christian era — Early church di- 
vinely governed — Spiritual decline — A false 
church — Reformations — Sixteenth century refor- 
mation — Human rule — Characteristics of true 
church — A final reformation — Evil of sects — 
Protestantism in Revelation — Wondrous times 
upon us — God's call to his people — D. S. Warner 
a reformer — The correct attitude — Counterfeit 
movements. 

II. ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 30 

Emigration westward — Settlement in Ohio — 
David Warner- family — Born a weakling — Pater- 
nal and, maternal influences — Tributes to mother 
— Location in Crawford County — A chosen vessel 
— His boyhood character — Removal to Williams 
County — A school teacher. 

III. CONVERSION, COLLEGE, AND CALLING 38 

The question of religion — A Catholic and Lu- 
theran community — Tries to be an infidel — Con- 
viction by the Spirit — Attends dances — Conver- 
sion — Attends Oberlin College — Preparation for 
ministry. 

IV. CHURCH OF GOD (WINEBRENNERIAN) 43 

The Scriptural name — Winebrenner 's view of 
the church — Organization of Elderships — Growth 
and extent westward — Winebrenner 's failure. 

V. FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 49 

Gifted as an evangelist — Marriage — Death of 
wife and children — His physical description — 
New Washington revival — Diary accounts — Prej- 
udice against sanctifieation — (Meeting at Bass- 
wood — A presentiment of death — Standing com- 
mittee — Rebukes youthful tobacco-user — Con- 
verses with infidel — Reflections at end of year — 
Appointed to Nebraska mission — Lessons on the 
church — A farewell meeting. 

VI. A NEBRASKA MISSION 68 

The Nebraska field — The journey — Nebraska 
scenes — Reflections on his bride-to-be — Builds 
house — Returns to Ohio — Marriage — Resumes Ne- 
braska work — All night in dugout — Outlook 
temporarily reversed — Long trips over prairie — 
Wife lonely — Visit to Indian camp — Fast in snow- 
drift — Birth of a daughter — Break in diary ac- 
count. 



CONTENTS 7 

VII. BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 98 

On Ashland circuit — News of mother's death — 
Visits penitentiary — A course of studies at Ver- 
million College — Embraces the cause of holiness — 
Seeks and obtains the experience. 

VIII. THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 113 

Doctrine of sanctification — Widespread interest 
in the subject — Prominent leaders — Holiness 
bands — Doctrine opposed — Its advocates recede 
on the church question — A remnant who walk in 
the light — Holiness editors — Jacksonville conven- 
tion. 

IX. A PEEACHER OF HOLINESS 123 

A rather new field of activity — Writes for pub- 
lication — Meets with opposition — Tirade and 
charges by fellow minister — Canton camp-meeting 
— Eldership meeting at Smithville, faces charges 
— Assigned to Stark circuit — Visits fa.ther and 
place of conversion — Locates at Canton — Writes 
covenant with God — Return to Upper Sandusky — 
Revival at Findlay — Reflections on New Year's 
Day — Expulsion from West Ohio Eldership — 
Meetings at Dunkirk — Increasing vision of apos- 
tolic chureh — A peculiar test — Work opens in In- 
diana — Death of father and daughter — Attends 
Ohio Holiness Camp-Meeting — Brought low with 
affliction. 

X. NORTHERN INDIANA ELDERSHIP 177 

Opposition to Freemasonry — New Eldership 
formed — Becomes an associate editor — Herald of 
Gospel Freedom. 

XI. EDITOR AND AUTHOR 182 

Locates at Rome City, Ind. — Writes book — At- 
tends various camp-meetings — Mob at Upper San- 
dusky — Remarkable healings — Eldership seeks 
union with Mennonitcs — Close of diary account — 
Becomes editor of Herald. 

XII. A SPIRITUAL SHAKING - 196 

Prophetic description of reformation move- 
ment — Old Testament figures — Shakings incident 
to divine visitations — New covenant complete in 
entire sanctification — Prophecies that apply to 
these times — Separation of wheat and chaff — Ar- 
guments against sects — Entire sanctification a 
remedy — Unity the hope of God's people. 

XIII. A PROPHETIC TIME 227 

Many world events foreshadowed in prophecy 
— God has a design with man — Events of the 
world grouped in periods — The four world em- 
pires — The fourth given particular attention — 



8 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

The little horn of Daniel 7 — Time periods of 
Romanism and Protestantism — Corresponding 
prophecies in Revelation — "What Babylon is — 
God's people called out of her. 

XIV. THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 237 

Consolidation of Herald of Gospel Freedom 
with the Pilgrim, forming the Gospel Trumpet — 
Rome City its birthplace — Move to Indianapolis 
— Difficulties and privations — Paper issued irreg- 
ularly — Printed on hand-press — Move to Carding- 
ton, Ohio, and later to Bucyrus — To Williamston, 
Mich., in 1884, and to Grand Junction in 1886 — 
Substantial progress. 

XV. THE CRISIS „„ 255 

Unity effected only out of and away from sects 
— No other alternative for God's people — Brother 
Warner a reformer — His stand meets Satan's op- 
position, but vindicated by Spirit of God — Ex- 
tracts from Gospel Trumpet — Declares himself 
free from Northern Indiana Eldership — Same 
stand taken by Michigan saints — Counterfeit doc- 
trines — Trying time at Bucyrus, Ohio — -His wife 's 
estrangement — Comments by contemporary edi- 
tors — Trouble over donation by a Mrs. Booth — 
Letters of sympathy and encouragement — Work 
spreads into various States — Emma Miller's heal- 
ing of blindness — Other marvelous healings — De- 
fection of J. C. Fisher — How the reformation is 
distinguished from all other movements. 

XVI. EVANGELISTIC TOURS 313 

Trip into Pennsylvania — Various healings — At- 
tacked by intoxicated man — Woman delivered 
from devils — -Visits Winebrennerian camp — An 
incident of Beaver Dam assembly — Company of 
singers formed — Wonderful meeting in Indiana — 
Storm stayed in answer to prayer — Mob near Ris- 
ing Sun, Ohio — A Western tour — Strange manifes- 
tations at St. James, Mo. — To Denver — Meetings 
in Canada — In the Southern field — Mob element 
in Mississippi — Visits Mammoth Cave — Visits 
the church in California — Scenery of the Rockies. 

XVII. THE MINISTRY OF SONG 383 

Adaptation of existing hymns — Occasions that 
suggested various hymns — Instances of the effect 
of song. 

XVIII. POETIC INSPIRATIONS 398 

Gifted as a poet — A book of poems — Various 
examples of poems. 

XIX. LAST TEARS - 419 

Hoped for long life — Difficulty in combining 



CONTENTS 9 

writing with evangelical work — Could not remain 
long out of the field — Begins to write a book on 
prophecy — Third marriage — Ohio Eiver campaign 
— Last New Year's greeting — A school on the 
camp-ground — Last sermon — End of the journey. 

XX. AS OTHEES KNEW HIM 428 

Statements of various individuals — Author's 
statement — Eeflections at his grave. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

D. S. Warner Frontispiece 

Parents of D. S. Warner .. Opposite page 32 

Mother of D. S. Warner „ " " 33 

A Student at Oberlin " " 40 

D. S. Warner and wife (Tamzen Kerr) " " 49 

Sarah (Keller) Warner " " 78 

Leaders in the Holiness Movement (( " 116 

Eome City, Ind., in 1878 Page 185 

An early copy of the Gospel Trumpet " 240 

Home of Gospel Trumpet in 1889 Opposite page 254 

Church building in which D. S. Warner sepa- 
rated from the No. Ind. Eldership " il 266 

Group of early Indiana saints '* " 267 

J. C. and Allie E. Fisher " " 268 

Group of early Michigan saints " " 269 

John N. Slagle, bef riender of D. S. Warner ' * " 296 

Sidney, only living child of D. S. Warner " " 297 

Evangelistic company, 1886-1891 " " 334' 

Eesidences of Joseph F. Smith and D. Leininger " " 340 

Early places of worship in Michigan. " li 341 

Present publishing-office of Gospel Trumpet.— " fl 374 

Gospel Trumpet Home for Employes " " 375 

Facsimile of D. S. Warner's Handwriting li " 420 

Family of D. S. Warner _ " " 421 

Library and home of D. S. Warner (l (( 424 

Camp-ground and lake, Grand Junction " ll 425 

Grave of D. S. Warner, in 1895 " *' 446 

The new monument " ft 447 



The Evening Light. 



D. S. Warner 



H. R. Jeffrey. 




1. Bright-er days are sweet-ly dawn-ing, Oh, the glo - ry looms in sight! 

2. Mist - y fogs, so long con-ceal- ing All the hills of min-gled night, 

3. Lo! the ran-somed are re -tarn -ing, Robed in shin-ing crys-tal white, 

4. Free from Ba - bel, in the Spir - it, Free to wor-ship God a - right, 

5. Hal - le - lu -jah! saints are singing, Vic-t'ry In Je -ho-vah's might; 



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For the cloud - y day is wan - ing, 
Van-ish, all their sin re - veal - ing, 
Leap-ing, shout-ing home to Zi - on, 
Joy and glad-ness we're re- ceiv - ing, 
Glo - ry ! glo - ry! keep it ring - ing, 



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And the eve-ning shall be 
For the eve-ning shall be 
Hap-py in the eve-ning 
Oh, how sweet this eve-ning 
We are saved in eve-ning 



light, 
light, 
light, 
light! 
light! 



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I 

INTRODUCTION 

The life and labors of D. S. Warner are so closely 
associated with a religious movement that any attempt at 
his biography becomes in part necessarily a history of that 
movement. I have therefore chosen the terr:, Birth of a 
Reformation, as a part of the title of this book. Brother 
Warner (to use an appellation in keeping with the idea 
of universal Christian brotherhood) was doubtless chosen 
of God as an instrument for accomplishing a particular 
work. What that work was, why it may be called a ref- 
ormation, and why, in particular, it may be considered 
the last reformation, a few words of explanation by way 
of introduction are offered the inquiring reader. 

It will be necessary to take a brief glance over the Chris- 
tian era and review some of the important events and con- 
ditions. We note the characteristics of the church in the 
days of the apostles, which, by reason of its recent found- 
ing and organization by the Holy Spirit, is naturally re- 
garded as exemplary and ideal. It had no creed but the 
Scriptures and no government but that administered by 
the Holy Spirit, who *set the members in the body as it 
pleased him' — apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, 
pastors, etc. Thus subject to the Spirit, the early church 
was flexible, capable of expansion and of walking in all 
the truth and of adjusting itself to all conditions. It was 
in very essence the church, the whole, and not a section or 
part. The apostles and early believers did not restrict 
themselves and become a Jewish Christian sect or any 
other kind of sect. Peter's way of thinking would have 
thus limited him, for as a Jew he declined any particular 
interest in Gentile converts ; but the Lord through a vision 
changed his mind and advanced his understanding to 



12 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

include the universality of the Christian kingdom. The 
Holy Spirit in the heart was necessary, of course, to the 
successful government of the church by the Spirit, other- 
wise he could not have been understood. There were no 
dividing lines, for it was the will of the Lord particularly 
that there be "one fold and one shepherd." Jesus had 
prayed in behalf of the disciples "that they all may be 
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they 
also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou 
hast sent me" (John 17: 21 ) . These conditions of being 
subject to the word and Spirit, of leaving an open door 
through which greater light and truth might enter as was 
necessary/and of possessing the love and unity of spirit 
that cemented the believers together and carried them 
through all their persecution, constituted the ideal and nor- 
mal status of God's church on earth as he gave it begin- 
ning, of which it was ordained that there should be but one, 
only one, as long as the world should endure. "There is 
one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope 
of your calling " (Eph. 4:4). 

SPIRITUAL DECLINE 

It was possible, of course, for the church to decline from 
her state of purity and thereby to forfeit her standing as 
the church. So long as her conflict with paganism lasted 
and the various forms of persecution tended to bring into 
exercise those principles and qualities which distinguished 
her from the world, she practically kept her first estate. 
When, however, the tide turned, persecutions ceased and 
Christianity came into favor and to be made the state 
religion of the Roman Empire, there were presented con- 
ditions favorable to every form of spiritual decline. Chris- 
tians, instead of being longer persecuted, were pro- 
tected, and to profess Christianity became popular and 
easy. The divine features of the church, by which she 



INTRODUCTION 13 

had been known for more than two hundred years, were 
lost. Every form of corruption came in. Human rule 
supplanted the divine, Holy Spirit, rule almost universally, 
both in the East and the West. The bishop of Rome, in 
particular, rose in prominence until he was made supreme 
head — pope — of the Holy Roman church. The reader of 
church history knows of the long eclipse of Christianity 
that followed, of the darkness and ignorance that reigned 
and gave to that period the name, Dark Ages. The true 
church, impossible of representation by such a colossal 
counterfeit as then appeared in her place and became in 
turn a persecuting power, could continue only in fragmen- 
tary form, in obscure places in the wilderness of the Ro- 
man Empire. She could not be manifest in her evangeliz- 
ing capacity, but was persecuted. Millions of God's 
people, who refused allegiance to this false system of 
Christianity, were slain as heretics during this period. 
Thus, in the historical foreground we see, not the pure 
woman representing the church of God, but we see an 
apostate woman seated "upon a scarlet-colored beast," the 
Roman state. 

"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet 
color, and decked with gold and precious stones and 
pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abomina- 
tions and filthiness of her fornication : and upon her fore- 
head was a name written, Mystery* Babylon the Great, the 
Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. And I 
saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and 
with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (Rev. 17: 4-6). 

The Word and the Spirit, the two divine authorities, 
were set aside. In the place of the former were the tradi- 
tions of the Roman Church, and for the latter was sub- 
stituted human rule and authority. These two divine 
witnesses prophesied in sackcloth during those long cen- 
turies, until such time as they should again function in 



14 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

their proper sphere in the church — I say until such time : 
for we are not to assume that in the design of God this 
state of affairs should always continue. True Christian- 
ity was not to perish from the earth. The book of 
Daniel prophesies of the papacy, "And he shall speak 
great words against the Most High, and shall wear out 
the saints of the Most High, and think to change times 
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a 
time and times and the dividing of time" (Dan. 7: 25). 
(See the time-periods of the various epochs of the Chris- 
tian era in our chapter A Prophetic Time. ) For this vast 
agency of unrighteousness the time should come when the 
cup of iniquity should be full and the judgments of God 
should be executed and his people delivered. When 
Christ comes, his bride will have made herself ready, 
which implies that God's people will have been gathered 
out of spiritual captivity and brought again to Zion. Light 
and truth and the Holy Spirit rule will have been restored 
as at the beginning. 

REFORMATIONS 

Now the rise out of apostasy was expressed by a series 
of reformations, not by gradual ascent corresponding to 
the decline. The "mystery of iniquity," which crystallized 
in the blasphemous "man of sin," had already begun 
to Tvork in Paul's day, and the drift into spiritual darkness 
on the part of the professing church was without specific 
opposition. But, on the other hand, to break away from 
conditions apostate always means war with infernal pow- 
ers. The wrong is endured until a rising sentiment of pro- 
test breaks out with stern denunciation. God raises up 
instruments for this purpose. John Wyclif, in the four- 
teenth century, denounced the errors of the so-called 
church and the conduct of the monks and also had suffi- 
cient light to see the papacy as the "man of sin" foretold 



INTRODUCTION 15 

by the apostle Paul. His reform efforts, however, centered 
mostly in the translation of the Bible into English, 
which work, in spite of the attempt by Rome to destroy 
it, God graciously caused to be preserved. 

John Huss, a little later, took Wyclif's attitude against 
the corruptions of the church and was burned at the stake 
as a heretic. His martyrdom furnished the occasion 
for him to utter this prophecy: "You are now going to 
burn a goose [Huss meaning goose in the Bohemian lan- 
guage] , but in one hundred years there will arise a swan 
whom you can neither roast nor boil." True to this proph- 
ecy, in one hundred years came the intrepid Luther, 
under whose leadership history records the great reforma- 
tion of the sixteenth century. Church and state were at 
this time united, which gave this reformation a political 
prominence, as it resulted in the change to Protestantism 
of two strong nations, Germany and England. What the 
sixteenth century reformation accomplished spiritually 
was, among other things, the bringing to light of the Scrip- 
tural doctrine of justification by faith in Christ instead of 
by priestly absolution. 

It could not have been expected that all the Scriptural 
truths and principles should at any time or by any one 
reformer be recovered from the rubbish under which they 
had been buried for a thousand years. There have been 
numerous reforms, bringing out various truths that had 
been obscured by the apostasy. Thus Truth in her prog- 
ress upward to the Scriptural level, has arisen only by 
successive steps, God having to use human instrumentali- 
ties that were limited by the prevailing tendencies and be- 
liefs of the times. Each reformer naturally dealt with 
conditions that were most conspicuous from his view-point 
and was exercised in questions of truth that ap- 
plied only to such conditions. His reform work 
was not final in character, inasmuch as it left some errors 



16 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

still uncorrected. Hence the progress upward was by a 
succession of reforms, each, as a general thing, springing 
from a higher level of truth and spiritual attainment than 
those preceding. With the great decline into apostasy 
now in the past, the church of God was disposed to rise 
out of confusion, her destiny being the attainment of her 
original standing, when it could be said that her sun should 
"no more go down." 

HUMAN RULE INSTEAD OF DIVINE 

The apostasy of the church, as one writer has expressed 
it, came by "ecclesiastical ambition and degeneracy." The 
human element got in the way where there should have 
been only the divine. There is necessarily the human ele- 
ment in the work of God, for Christian work is God and 
man working together; but in the true relation man is God's 
instrumentality and is altogether in subjection to the di- 
vine Head, who rules over all. When the human element 
supplants, gets in the way of, or acts in the place of, the 
divine, we have a fundamental error that always results 
in apostasy. This human ecclesiasticism, always more or 
less intolerant, reached its autocratic perfection in the hier- 
archy of the Roman Catholic Church and constituted 
the "man of sin" who opposeth and exalteth himself above 
all that is called God, or that is worshiped ; so that he as 
God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that 
he is God" (2Thess. 2:3, 4). 

The spirit of human government in church affairs has 
shown itself in, or has followed in the wake of, every re- 
form movement of the past. The Spirit of God worked in 
the movement to accomplish good, but was always checked 
by this baleful element. Luther meant well but was 
himself dogmatic and intolerant. He held to many doc- 
trines of Catholicism whose wrongs he could not see. 
He did not make proper allowance that others besides 



INTRODUCTION 17 

himself might be right, or at least have some truth. Nei- 
ther did he or his associates or followers leave the way 
open for God to lead into more truth, much less the whole 
truth. Thus the reformation of the sixteenth century, 
while it recovered from the debris of apostasy the doc- 
trine of justification by faith, became the occasion for 
Protestant sects, human-ruled institutions, and these were 
succeeded by other sects. Some of these have been as in- 
tolerant, inflexible, and as unlike primitive Christianity as 
the Roman Catholic Church itself. 

Church government, as humanized in the sects, has 
taken forms other than the hierarchic. We have the 
episcopal, or rule by bishops; the presbyterian, or rule 
by presbyters; the congregational, or rule by the local 
brotherhood. Our object here is, not to discuss which of 
these forms most nearly resembles or is most different 
from the Scriptural, but merely to show that man rule 
has manifested itself in various ways. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE CHURCH 

The true church of God, comprising all Christians, 
has in her normal state under her divine head certain 
essential characteristics which make her exclusively the 
church, the whole and not a part. These might be ex- 
pressed as follows: 

1. Possession of divine spiritual life. If the church 
does not possess this she is not Christ's body and therefore 
not the church. She must know the Spirit of God. 

2. Disposition to obey all Scripture and to let the 
Spirit have his way and rule. This constitutes her safety 
in matters of doctrine and government. 

3. An attitude receptive to any further truth and 
light. This safeguards against dogmatism and a spirit 
of infallibility and intolerance, against interpreting Chris- 
tianity in the light of traditions and old ideas. 



18 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

4. Acknowledgment of good wherever found and 
the placing of no barrier that would exclude any who 
might be Christians. This makes salvation, a holy life, 
and a Christian spirit the only test of fellowship, and 
disapproves all human standards of church membership 
and fellowship. 

We repeat that these constitute the Scriptural standard 
of the church and characterize her in her unity and in- 
tegrity. It is by lacking in one or more of these essentials 
that a sect is a sect. In the rise of the church out of 
apostasy any reformation that does not develop to the full 
the essentials that characterize the church in her whole- 
ness and completeness must necessarily fall short of being 
the final reformation and must leave a cause for further 
reformation. This is the explanation of the existence 
of the so-called Christian sects, viewing them in the most 
charitable light. The Wesleys and their early associates 
sought for deeper personal spirituality as well as better 
spiritual association than was afforded in the state church 
of England. They brought to light and gave particular 
prominence to the doctrine of sanctification by faith and 
the witness of the Holy Spirit. Their work was a reform ; 
but as in that day the question of division among Chris- 
tians was not prominent, nor was the question of the one 
true church understood or appreciated, their work took 
definite form in a body humanly organized and called 
Methodist. The Campbells had considerable light on the 
unity of the church, and proposed the Scriptures alone 
as a basis on which all Christians could unite. But they 
blindly shut themselves in on a point of doctrine by as- 
sociating entrance into the kingdom or church with the 
act of immersion in such manner as to make a wall be- 
tween them and other Christians who should give evidence 
of having received salvation and therefore church mem- 
bership, otherwise than through baptism. Thus they 



INTRODUCTION 19 

made themselves a sect. John Winebrenner had the 
correct idea of the church as comprising all the saved, 
and his work was on an unsectarian basis. Lacking, how- 
ever, in the quality of letting the Spirit of God rule, elder- 
ship organizations were soon set up, a man rule came in, 
and they also became a sect. Inflexible as to doctrine, 
they closed the door of progress on themselves, rejected 
the truth on holiness, and became one of the most narrow 
of sects, though bearing the Scriptural name, Church of 
God. 

A FINAL REFORMATION 

It must follow, and the assumption is already estab- 
lished, that a reformation which takes in full the char- 
acteristics defining the church in her wholeness must there- 
by reach the New Testament standard and therefore be 
the last, or final, reformation. No reformation can make 
good such claim if it does not proceed on whole-church 
lines or principles. If a reform does progress on those 
universal principles, we need look no farther for, nor await 
future years to reveal, the final reformation resulting in 
the restoration of all things to the Scriptural ideal. 

The errors of the religious world are, and have been, 
the failure to so preach salvation truth that people may ob- 
tain and enjoy full deliverance from sin; failure to con- 
form to the divine standard on all lines ; the human eccle- 
siastical system, which hinders Holy Spirit organization 
and government; and separation of God's people into 
parties, thus making true church relation impossible. A 
movement that comprehends a correction of all these, 
and meets the Scriptural standard, must therefore fill the 
measure of reform. 

Reader, it is claimed for the movement represented 
in the teaching and labors of D. S. Warner, that it pos- 
sesses these elements of finality, that by it God is bring- 



:o e:rth :f a refcpinlation 

ing his people "out of all places where they have been 
scattered in the cloudy and dark day" of Protestant 
seclism, and is restoring Zion as at first. It is not 
assumed mat Brother Warner was right on every point 
of doctrine or in every application of a Scriptural text, 
but that die movement, in addition to being based on 
correct Scriptural principles otherwise, possesses that flex- 
ibility and spirit of progress by which it adjusts itself as 
God gives light 

1. It teaches the Scriptural process of salvation, by 
which people may obtain a real deliverance from sin and 
have the Holy Spirit as a witness to their salvation. 

2. The truth only, and obedience thereto, is its motto; 
and it recognizes the rule of the Holy Spirit in the organ- 
ization and government of the church. 

3. It does not assume to possess all the truth, but 
stands committed thereto, holding an open door to die 
entrance of any further light and truth. 

4. The spirit of the movement is to acknowledge 
good wherever found and to regard no door into the 
church other than salvation and no test of fellowship 
other man true Christianity possessed within the heart. 

Thus its basis is as narrow as the New Testament on 
the one hand, and as broad as die New Testament on 
the other. May it ever go forward on mis line in the 
spread of the truth to all me world 

ANOTHER VIEW OF SECTS 



In tr.e r.rs: r'_ = :e. 5r::f .v/e ::r.:::y.7Z :/. :---:. •••/-.:'. e 
necessarily bad as factions, they are associated more or 



INTRODUCTION 21 

less with good. Many of them in their origin followed 
reform movements which apparently had divine sanction 
and were progressive in Christianity, and many of them 
have upheld truth which when preached was productive 
of good and brought salvation results. But here it should 
be noted, that whatever of salvation work has been ac- 
complished has been directly by the Spirit of God in in- 
dividuals, quite apart from any sectarian agency. It must 
be said, too, that whatever has resulted from Christian 
endeavor or influence and expenditure of means, whether 
in home or foreign lands, would have been in greater de- 
gree had the church back of these efforts been one spirit- 
ual whole instead of many sectarian divisions. So, when 
we come to apply analysis to this question of sects, we 
find that they are in no sense good. That they are called 
churches is but the part of confusion, for in the popu- 
lar mind and in actual practise it tends to identify sects 
with the divine church, whereas in Scripture church al- 
ways means something other than sects. Bodies that are 
differentiated by the isms of men are not, and never can 
be, Scripturally churches, for except in the local geograph- 
ical sense the church takes no plural form. There is a 
distinction between the true people of God as constitut- 
ing the divine church and the human institutions called 
churches that have divided them and placed them in un- 
natural and unscriptural relations. The true church of 
God, by virtue of comprising all the saved and therefore 
being a unit, places sects in comparison only as false 
churches. A commentator truthfully remarks, "False 
Christendom divided into very many sects is truly Baby- 
lon, that is, confusion.*' (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's 
Commentary.) Thus sects, because they are a hindrance 
to proper Christian activity and because they present a 
spectacle of religious confusion, professing to be churches 
when they can only be false, are bad. 



22 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

This is no disparagement of the many noble men and 
women of God who have been connected with sects and 
have gone on to their heavenly reward, whose accomplish- 
ed good was from the divine source and not from the secta- 
rian. They may have honestly loved their sect, but in 
this they were honestly misplacing their love. It was 
the religious association with their fellow Christians that 
they loved, and this, had they only known it, was not 
enhanced but rather hindered by the sectarian distinction. 
They will not find these distinctions in heaven. If they 
really loved the sect, they had to leave that love behind, 
for it could not be included with such Christian excel- 
lence as entitled them to heaven. Thus our good parents 
and grandparents and the long line of reformers and 
Christian worthies receive their heavenly reward quite 
independent of the sectarian institutions that divided them 
here. 

EVIL OF SECTS IN POSITIVE LIGHT 

We have shown why sects are bad in rather a negative 
light, as being confusion and therefore a hindrance to 
proper Christian representation in the world. They are 
evil in a more positive sense, and it was because of this that 
God prompted Brother Warner and others in the reform 
to utter such sharp judgment against them. Any body 
of Christian people that arises and fails to qualify on all 
principles that mark the church of God as a whole, that 
proceeds to human organization and rule instead of rec- 
ognizing only Holy Spirit organization and government, 
at once limits itself and becomes thereby a sect, a false 
representation of the church. As a false church it is soon 
a corrupt institution in which human pride and every 
element contrary to God may exist and become active. 
The human will, intended for the rule of our bodies and 
things terrestrial, things which belong to man's province. 



INTRODUCTION 23 

becomes sadly out of place when exercised in any sphere 
or capacity that belongs to God. In such sphere it be- 
comes a rival of God, a monster evil of great proportions, 
a distinctive satanic spirit, always opposing the true work 
of God. 

BEASTLY CHARACTER IN PROPHECY 

This man rule in a province to which God alone has 
rightful claim (for indeed it exercises the prerogative of 
God when it presumes to direct God's work and people) 
has characterized all Protestant sectism just as it did 
Roman Catholicism, only in milder aspect. Man rule is 
represented in prophetic symbols by beastly character, 
whether it applies to political or ecclesiastical government. 
Thus in the 7th chapter of Daniel we have the symbols 
of four great beasts, representing in their respective order 
four universal kingdoms, as follows: Babylonia, Medo- 
Persia, Greece, and Rome. These were temporal pow- 
ers that ruled the world. When a mere temporal power 
is indicated the prophetic symbol used is a dumb beast. 
If a beast or any part of such symbol is represented as 
speaking or exercising human propensities, then the thing 
indicated is also an ecclesiastical power. Thus the fourth 
beast in Daniel 7, which represents the Roman Empire, 
exercises first as a dumb animal ; but directly a particular 
horn appears among the horns of this beast, and is given 
eyes to see and a mouth to speak great things, which in- 
dicates ecclesiastical exercise, so that we have here Rome 
first as a heathen power, and then as a so-called Chris- 
tian power speaking great things, making war against the 
saints, etc. 

In Revelation 13 we find this same Roman Catholic 
power represented by a beast to whom was given "a 
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies** and pow- 
er "to make war with the saints and to overcome them.*' 



24 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

These anthropomorphic qualities given to a beast indicate 
man rule in ecclesiastical matters, a thing which is at 
once blasphemy in God's sight, utterly obnoxious and 
foreign to him. 

PROTESTANTISM IN REVELATION 13 

Beginning with the 11th verse of Revelations 13, 
directly after the prophecy of the Roman Catholic hier- 
archic power, we have the spectacle of a second beast, 
having two horns like a lamb but speaking as a dragon. 
The fact that he speaks gives him the quality of ecclesi- 
astical rule. In this beast we have man rule in the form 
of Protestantism. He has a lamb-like aspect instead of 
the vicious, threatening character of Rome in the days 
of her power; but he has the voice of a dragon, which 
betrays his diabolical spirit. He exercises as much power 
in the world as Roman Catholicism did before him. He 
deceives by doing "great wonders," displaying spiritual 
manifestations. He causes people to worship the first 
beast (Catholicism) by copying its standards and doing 
reverence to a human ecclesiastical system; and an image 
to the first beast is made whenever a sect is organized. 
He causes the image to "speak" (exercise man rule) 
and to persecute those who, instead of bowing to the sect 
image, are disposed to exercise in their spiritual freedom 
and give allegiance alone to God. 

Thus we see so-called Protestantism as a particular 
form of beast religion, a distinctive spirit that animates 
and dominates the sectarian system. The beast element 
is the man rule. We are not speaking merely of human 
instrumentality, which God certainly uses in his church 
when the will is wholly submitted to him and susceptible 
to his Spirit, but of that exercise and dominance in ecclesi- 
astical matters which, as apart from God, is distinctly 
human. Such prevails more or less as a system in all sects, 



INTRODUCTION 25 

gives occasion for jealousy, pride, and emulation, wants 
to be let alone, and opposes any reform that threatens it. 
This is the element which naturally becomes disturbed at 
the preaching of the truth that exposes it, and which be- 
came a persecuting power against Brother Warner and 
all who executed the divine judgment against false re- 
ligion. In this deceptive form of evil covering almost four 
hundred years Satan has had his seat. When the pres- 
ent reformation shall have resulted in bringing God's 
people out of sectarian divisions and placing them on 
the whole-church basis, Satan, driven to some new pro- 
ject, will muster the Gog and Magog forces in a last con- 
flict against the saints, which shall end with the utter de- 
struction of those forces by the judgment fires. 

We have, then, Protestantism represented in two as- 
pects : 1 . As a period during which truth by a succes- 
sion of reform movements has to a considerable extent 
been recovered from apostasy and restored to God's peo- 
ple. 2. As a system of false religion, a form of spirit- 
ual Babylon that is pervaded by a satanic spirit that de- 
ceives the world and opposes any effort to restore the 
church of God to her Scriptural unity, since such effort 
naturally threatens the ecclesiastical element lying at the 
base of organized sectarianism. 

A DISPENSATION OF GOD 

We apprehend, then, that wondrous times have come 
upon us. Great ecclesiastical systems are crumbling and 
are being left destitute as God's people make their escape. 
This movement proceeds with no show of prominence in 
the world. It causes no political disturbance, but works 
only in the province of genuine Christianity, silently, 
effectively, as the leaven in the meal. It is altogether 
a spiritual movement and its discernment can therefore 
only be spiritual. It may appear outwardly as only one 



26 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

religious body among many; for it is only when judged 
by the spiritual standard of God's word that its char- 
acter is seen. It is a call to those who are willing to be 
led of God. 

The dispensations of God are in their beginning often 
insignificant and despised in man's eyes. God chooses 
things that are not, to bring to naught things that are. The 
fact that Brother Warner's work was done in compar- 
ative obscurity counts for nothing against its being the work 
of God. It is quality that counts. Brother Warner had 
the right spiritual quality, the secret of which was letting 
God have his way. His entire abandonment to God in 
a complete consecration, together with his adaptable tem- 
perament and gifts, made him suitable for God's use in 
this great work, and God chose him. The time was at 
hand. Others, contemporary with him and leaders in the 
holiness movement, saw the evils of sects and deplored 
them, but when it came to renouncing their sectarian 
affiliations and coming out of the spiritual Babylon in 
obedience to God's call, "Come out of her, my people, 
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive 
not of her plagues," they drew back. This point of leav- 
ing the sects, abiding in Christ alone and allowing God 
to reestablish his church on the primitive basis, was the 
real test. They longed for the time when God's people 
should all be one, but chose to believe that the time was 
not yet. And so they have been believing for forty years, 
and are today in the greater confusion. They lacked the 
spiritual equipment. One of Brother Warner's special 
endowments was that of considerable light on the proph- 
ecies. He saw that the sectarian denominations were of 
the true spiritual Babylon in which God's people were 
being held captive. He also had in the Spirit the pros- 
pective vision of the pure church unruled by man. His 
contemporary leaders who opposed him were too blind 



INTRODUCTION 27 

spiritually to have such a vision; or, if they had it, were 
disobedient to it. 

But there were those, the humble ones, who were wil- 
ling to let God have his way. At the sound of the trum- 
pet, which God was giving through Brother Warner, 
thousands have rallied to the standard of truth, and 
through them the truth has been and is being vindicated. 
If God has his way all Christians will be led out of sects, 
all justified believers will be led into sanctification, the 
church will be perfectly organized and governed by the 
Holy Spirit, the whole truth will be preached uncompro- 
misingly, full salvation will be held out to the world, and 
all will be led to cooperate and do their part. This is the 
full measure of Christianity today, and is God's design 
with his people. Here is true Christian unity. Such 
unity can come only by absolute abandonment to God, 
for he must be the one-making agent. Men may attempt 
a unity through some Interchurch World Movement or 
other plan, but no plan can represent the true Scriptural 
unity unless God does the work himself. He must have 
the full right of way in human hearts. 

Brother Warner's mission was strictly that of a re- 
former. It was his part to venture boldly with the truth 
God had given him, with a willingness to run the gaunt- 
let of persecutions that were sure to greet him on the 
right and left. His severe denunciation of all things sec- 
tarian was consistent with his pioneer position. There 
first had to be an awakening, a breaking up of old con- 
ditions, particularly of the recognition (into which the 
minds of people generally had settled) of the sects as 
being the church of God. His work was the initial, or 
birth, stage of the reform. 

Following the initial stage has come the constructive, 
which comprehends the reformation in the local sense, 
the sense in which the Christian life and true ideal of the 



28 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

church must be exemplified in the community as some- 
thing more than theory, something that will appeal as 
being better than what is represented in the sects. The 
constructive stage calls not so much for continual denun- 
ciation of sects as for manifesting those essential princi- 
ples that characterize the church in her unity and entirety. 
The responsibility is to make good the claim, and this 
means much. Any tendency to establish traditions, or 
to regard a past course as giving direction in all respects 
for the future, or to become self-centered and manifest 
a "we are it" spirit and bar the door of progress against 
the entrance of further light and truth, or in any way to 
refuse fellowship with any others who may be Christians, 
would itself be sectarian, altogether unlike the true ref- 
ormation, which, if it be final, must necessarily be a 
restoration and possess universal characteristics. 

For proper representation everything depends upon 
the understanding of, and the attitude toward, this great 
movement. For any body of people to hold that the 
reformation is entrusted to them, or that they have be- 
come the standard for the world, is a self-centered 
attitude, vastly different from that which regards the 
reformation as something prophetically due, as having 
come independent of man, and as being greater than the 
people who have been favored with its light, and that it 
is their part to conform to it in principle, doctrine, and 
everything. The great movement is in the world, and any 
attemp to "corner" it or to limit it to a particular body 
of people could only result in making that body a sect, 
or faction, while the movement itself would proceed inde- 
pendently. 

The true spirit of the reformation will be, however, 
with those who measure to its standard, whether they be 
few or many, and God will manifest himself accordingly. 
Satan has tried to becloud and defeat the movement by 



INTRODUCTION 29 

counterfeit factions — bodies of people who profess to be 
on the reformation line, but who misrepresent the truth 
by denying some part of it, as, for instance, the doctrine 
of entire sanctification in this life, or of the Christian 
ordinances, or who misrepresent it by advancing erron- 
eous doctrine, such as the continuation of the Old Test- 
mental law and Sabbath, or the speaking in tongues as a 
necessary evidence of having received the Holy Ghost. 
Many are the counterfeit movements today. One must 
ignore every influence of man and then rely on the wit- 
ness of both the Word and the Spirit in order to be guided 
aright. 

Brother Warner was a remarkable example of a man 
possessing the Christian spirit and the Christian graces 
wonderfully developed. While he could rebuke evil 
and deceptive influences in the strongest terms, he was 
one of the meekest and kindest of men. Christ-like, he 
loved all men, even his persecutors. As a husband, 
father, Christian brother and friend his love and respect 
were genuine and reached to the very soul. And yet the 
responsibility of his calling as a Christian and as a min- 
ister of God's truth as it applied to his time, he held more 
dear than all else, and to it he was wholly devoted. Not 
with any object of exalting the man, but to illustrate 
what God can accomplish in and through one who is so 
devoted, we introduce him to our readers. 



II 

ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 

Among those who fought in the second war against 
Great Britain was one Adam Warner, who was born 
in Virginia, and whose father was Christofel Warner. 
In this period of our national history a great tide of emi- 
gration from the Atlantic States was spreading itself 
over what is now the Middle West. Adam Warner 
seemed to catch the spirit of the times, and accordingly, 
in 1815, he set out with his family for the new country 
beyond the Alleghanies. He settled in Stark County, 
Ohio, where, about the year 1845, he died, at ninety- 
three years of age (a history of Williams County, Ohio, 
says ninety-eight, and that he had a sister who lived to 
the advanced age of one hundred and three). It is prob- 
able that before moving west Adam Warner lived for a 
while in Frederick County, Md., for there is where his 
son David was born, June 6, 1803. 

David Warner, after moving to Stark County, was 
married, in 1823, to Leah Dierdorf, who was born in 
York County, Pa., Feb. 6, 1805. In 1830 he moved 
to Wayne County, Ohio, and a little later to Portage 
County, then back to Wayne County in 1 836, to a place 
then called Bristol, where he kept a tavern for eight years. 
Of the parentage of David and Leah Warner, at their 
humble abode at Bristol, on June 25, 1842, amid the 
environment of tavern life, was born Daniel S. Warner, 
destined to be one of the principal instruments in God's 
hands to produce a shaking in the ranks of spiritual Israel, 
and to lead the hosts of the Lord back to Zion from their 
wanderings in the wilderness of denominationalism. 

The children of David and Leah, in order, were as 
follows: Adam, Lewis, Joseph, John, Daniel, and Sa- 



ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 31 

mantha. John died at the age of twenty, leaving but the 
five children. All are now deceased. A granddaughter 
says that the family was Pennsylvania German. Evi- 
dently the mother was. The father, as already noted, 
was a Virginian. 

It was the misfortune of Daniel S. to be frail, sickly, 
and to a great extent unappreciated, from his very birth. 
His lungs were weak and he was denied that stock of 
vitality with which every child has the right to begin life. 
Intoxicants were freely used in those days, and David 
Warner had fallen an easy prey to intemperance. If 
the affliction of this infant may not be ascribed to pater- 
nal indiscreetness, possibly inebriety, it is not because 
such instances were uncommon. Into how many homes 
has the demon of strong drink entered to bring sorrow 
to the wife and mother and to curse the unborn with the 
blight of its baneful effects! In this case, at any rate, 
the father was rough, and inconsiderate of his offspring. 
While he exercised toward his family a degree of tem- 
poral care, it seemed that the very frailty of this child, 
which should have awakened compassion, met only his 
frown and disfavor. In later years Daniel, in reflecting 
on the circumstances attending his birth and childhood, 
wrote the following lines, which are a part of his poem on 
Innocence : 

Conceived in sin, to sorrow born, 

Unwelcome here on earth, 
The shadows of a life forlorn 

Hung gloomy o'er my birth. 

A mother's heart oppressed with grief, 

A father's wicked spleen, 
Who cursed my faint and gasping breath, 

Combine to paint the scene. 

But life held on its tender thread, 

Days unexpected grew 
To weeks, and still he lived — 

Why, Heaven only knew. 



32 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

He lived, though life was bitter gain, 

His youth a flood of tears, 
His body doomed to cruel pain, 

His mind to nervous fears. 

In contrast with this paternal attitude, however, was 
the constancy of a true-hearted mother. Blessed with this 
and endowed with indelible memories of a mother's de- 
votion, what child growing up to cope with life's obsta- 
cles may not, after all, hold a chance of succeeding, 
however handicapped otherwise? If ever any planting 
bears fruit in the human breast, or becomes a latent force 
tending to guide one steadily through life's dangerous 
rapids, it is that of a mother's love. Especially is this true 
of the love of a Christian mother, coupled with her pray- 
ers. 

Mrs. Warner was an excellent woman. Her patient 
and gentle bearing under disturbing conditions, her dis- 
position to make the best of disappointment and discour- 
agement, left an impress, not only upon the family, but 
upon the neighborhood. Her kindness is referred to in 
two other stanzas of the poem Innocence: 

If angels blessed his thorny path, 

It may be said in truth, 
But two e'er showed their smiling face 

In all his suffering youth. 

One was his mother, ever kind, 

A blessed providence; 
The other, pure and lovely friend, 

Was angel Innocence. 

It has been true generally that great men have first 
had great mothers. But what is a mother's greatness, 
after all, but simple, unalloyed, Christian motherliness? 

"I should have become an atheist but for one recollec- 
tion, and that was the memory of the time when my de- 
parted mother used to take my little hand in hers and 
cause me on my knees to say, 'Our Father, who art in 
heaven.' " — John Randolph. 




Parents of D. S. Warner. The father holds a whisky-glass 




Mother of D. S. Warner 



ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 33 

44 All I am, all I hope to be, I owe to my angel mother 
— blessings on her memory! I remember my mother's 
prayers. They have always followed me. They have 
clung to me all my life." — Lincoln. 

44 If my mother could rise in the dead of the night and 
pray for my recovery from sickness, my life must be 
worth something. I then and there resolved to prove 
myself worthy of my mother's prayers." — Garfield. 

44 It is to my mother that I owe everything. If I am 
thy child, O my God, it is because thou gavest me 
such a mother. If I prefer the truth to all things, it is 
the fruit of my mother's teachings. If I did not perish 
long ago in sin and misery, it is because of the long and 
faithful years which she pleaded for me. What com- 
parison is there between the honor I paid her and her 
slavery for me?" — St. Augustine. 

One more tribute. In his book Bible Proofs of the 
Second Work of Grace, published in 1880, Daniel S. 
Warner places the following dedicatory note: 44 To the 
sacred memory of my sainted mother, whose tender af- 
fections were the only solace in my suffering childhood, 
and whose never-failing love, and whose pure and inno- 
cent life were the only stars that shone in the darkness 
of my youth, this volume is respectfully dedicated by the 
author." 

From Wayne County, David Warner brought his 
family, in 1843, to a farm of 140 acres near New Wash- 
ington, Crawford County, Ohio. The house, built part- 
ly of logs, stood three fourths of a mile southwest of the 
village. It was here that Daniel spent his childhood. 
Of this period he writes: 

It seemed the special pleasure of 

Another certain one 
To quite demolish everything 

He set his heart upon; 



34 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

To chafe his spirit and extort 

The flow of bitter tears 
Out of a soft and pensive heart. 

Through all his tender years. 

He never knew that "Father" was 

A sweet, endearing name; 
Its very mention was a dread, 

His life 'a most deadly bane. 

The demon of intemp 'ranee there 

Infused the wrath of hell, 
And most upon this sickly head 

The storm of fury fell. 

Like chickens when the mother bird 

Gives signal of a foe, 
The little peeps are quickly hushed, 

All chicks are lying low, 

So, when returning from the town, 

The dreaded steps we heard. 
All ran and quickly settled down. 

And not a lip was stirred. 

horrors of the liquor fiend! 

We 've seen thy hell on earth. 
Thy serpent coils around us twined, 
The moment of our birth. 

Bumf thy red infernal flame — 

I witness to the truth — 
Filled all my mother's cup with pain, 

And swallowed up my youth. 

The Warner family, though clever, straightforward, 
and strictly honest, were but a simple rural folk and not 
inclined to religion. That such a bright spiritual light 
as was afterward exhibited in Daniel could come from 
such a family, is one of the puzzling questions of blood 
relation. Was it that in the family blood there was 
latent quality which in his case only was near enough to 
the surface to be called into action and developed by 
higher influence? or should it be said that he represents 
a variation in the strain, such as is sometimes seen in 
biological observation? If the latter, the mystery re- 



ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 35 

mains; for why do such things occur? Aside from nat- 
ural phenomena, we believe that Brother Warner was a 
"chosen vessel'* unto the Lord. He possessed such a 
combination of qualities as made him capable of high 
development in the divine graces. He was a Christian 
than whom perhaps none other ever lived who was more 
reverent, spiritual, and devoted; and God had a special 
work for him. 

BOYHOOD CHARACTERISTICS 

In his boyhood Daniel early displayed a gift of enter- 
tainment and of public speaking. The school in his 
district was ungraded. On occasions of entertainment, 
such as the last day of school, after the younger children 
had spoken their "pieces" and the program began to 
grow monotonous, a call would be made for Dan War- 
ner. Then he would take the floor and soon would have 
them convulsing with merriment. Mischievousness and 
clownishness were traits. The trouble he sometimes 
caused the teacher was frequently such that the latter 
could not locate it nor determine just who was to blame. 
When he would be stood on the floor he would soon 
have others with him. On one occasion he did something 
for which he was sentenced to a scourging. When he 
appeared at school the next morning he was prepared 
for this contingency by having on two or three coats. He 
was, however, bright in his studies and in a general way 
sociable and well liked. 

The community in which he lived was strongly demo- 
cratic in politics. His father, a staunch democrat, actu- 
ally had a degree of pride in his boy when the latter 
would make stump speeches during a campaign. It was 
natural for Dan to mount a storebox on the street or any- 
where and address a crowd on the issues of the day. In 
later years, however, when he became a minister and 



36 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

his oratorical abilities were directed in the channel of 
preaching the gospel, his father was not pleased. 

Among the sports in which he indulged was coon hunt- 
ing. On finding a coon tree at night he and his compan- 
ion would cover themselves with a coon robe and lie 
under the tree until morning. He got to be rather wild, 
and took particular delight in the dance, but never in- 
dulged in the lowest forms of sin. 

These are but brevities of his boyhood career. It is 
difficult to prepare an account of this part of his life that 
would be to any considerable degree full. One accident, 
by which he was maimed for life, should here be noted. 
He attempted to remove a bunch of grass that had clogged 
the sickle of a mowing-machine. As he was in this 
act the team started and the ends of two of his fingers, 
the middle ones of the left hand, were suddenly clipped 
off. Fortunately the loss of these members did not hin- 
der him in writing nor was it a disfigurement usually 
noticed in his preaching. 

There was one more move for the David Warner fam- 
ily, and this was to Williams County, Ohio, the northwest 
corner of the State, where, in Bridgewater Township, 
about four miles north of the town of Montpelier, farm 
life was resumed. Here the parents spent the rest of 
their lives. The removal to this place was made in 1 863, 
during the Civil War. Joseph Warner was drafted for 
the army. Being a man of a family, he desired to ar- 
range for a substitute. For this Daniel offered himself, 
and accordingly became a private in Company C, 1 95 th 
Regiment, Ohio Infantry. Little is known of his army 
experience. It is said that he found favor with the Cap- 
tain and was made his clerk, or secretary. At the close 
of his term he was honorably discharged. 

While living in Williams County, the occupation of 
teaching school appealed to him, and for several terms 



ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE 37 

he was an instructor of the young in matters of common- 
school education. He was now in his early twenties. 
But here we shall close this chapter, and introduce him 
in our next in a different aspect. 



Ill 

CONVERSION, COLLEGE, AND CALLING 

It is natural that the question of religion should pre- 
sent itself to a young man or woman when approaching 
maturity. It is then that life is full of prospects, when 
one plans and builds for the future. It is then that opin- 
ions are formed, and there is an inclination to reach some 
kind of decision, for the time being at least, regarding 
every issue. One reaches this parting of the ways and 
the question comes, "Which road shall I take?" The 
answer, so far as religion is concerned, depends to some 
extent on what one has observed in those who make a pro- 
fession, though it is true that the influence of the Holy 
Spirit alone — that monitor who makes his appeal to the 
inner consciousness — sometimes decides the question. 

The community at New Washington, where the War- 
ner family lived, was strongly Catholic and Lutheran. 
There was too much whisky and tobacco and too little of 
genuine Christianity for a convincing testimony in favor 
of the latter. As for Dan Warner, he thought to decide 
the question of religion by trying to be an infidel. But 
of course he had not considered that God might speak to 
him and convince him against his will. He naturally 
possessed a tender conscience, a capacity to exalt right- 
eousness and a susceptibility to right spiritual influence. 

And so we find him on reaching the age of maturity 
trying to believe there was nothing in Christianity; but 
at this his success was poor. There were certain persons 
within his field of acquaintance whose Christian piety 
made its impression. Then again, there was the influ- 
ence of song. He had a good voice and found enjoy- 
ment in engaging in song with the young people. On a 
Sunday afternoon, at a neighbor's, where a number were 



CONVERSION, COLLEGE, AND CALLING 39 

gathered and were singing gospel hymns, he became great- 
ly affected. God spoke to his conscience. His convic- 
tion was so strong as to cause him for several months 
to lose his love for the dance and to reflect seriously on 
his course of life. It was his turning-point so far as 
infidelity was concerned.* 

But after a few months, when the conviction had worn 
away somewhat, he began to renew his attendance at 
dances and apparently to be more reckless than ever re- 
garding his spiritual well-being. His heart, however, was 
yet tender from the wound made by the spirit of convic- 
tion. One night during a severe illness of his sister he 
attended a dance. After he had returned home at two 
o'clock in the morning, his mother went to his room and 
expostulated with her boy regarding his sinful career. 
Here again is where a mother's part played effectively. 
As she reasoned with him on his wrong conduct, his go- 
ing to a dance while his sister — his only sister — lay at the 
point of death, and his offence against a just God, before 
whom he must one day stand in judgment, the depths of 
his heart were broken up and he fell on his knees and 
called for mercy. 

From that time he was deeply convicted though to his 
companions he gave no evidence of a changed life, as he 
had not received the new birth. With some young friends 
he began to attend a protracted meeting in a schoolhouse 
not far from his home. The meeting was one of power, 
and sinners were made to reflect on the question of their 
souls' salvation. On their way home one night his com- 
panions were expressing their opinions as to religion, what 
it was, etc. One of them, addressing Dan, said, "What 

*The use of tobacco, was very common among the professors in 
his community. It is related that he received an impression of 
the evil of this habit when on attendance at a prayer-meeting 
he saw one of those present attempt to take a chew secretly, by 
hiding his face behind a chair. 



40 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

do you think it is?" He replied, "I am going to find 
out." Knowing him to be prankish the others supposed 
he meant to play some trick, and as they separated won- 
dered to themselves what Dan could have up his sleeve. 
Not until he had gone forward to the altar the next eve- 
ning and they had seen him rise a changed young man 
with the peace of God in his countenance did they take 
his words and actions seriously. 

The date of this, his conversion, was February, 1865. 
He refers to the event some years later as follows: 
"Passed once more the old schoolhouse where I gave my 
heart to God (February, 1865). Thank God for that 
step ! Oh, how glad I am it was ever my lot to become 
a Christian!" 

Another item of interest relating to this time was his 
engagement to Frances Stocking, reference to which in 
his diary for June 11,1 874, the reader will find on an- 
other page. 

One quality that was manifest in Brother Warner's 
early religious life fas well as throughout his entire career 
was earnestness. He was sincere and intense in his de- 
votion and his Christian work. We shall find as we read 
the notes from his diary that his words breathe a spirit 
of love and devotion, evincing a deep spirituality. When 
he yielded to God, he meant it as the decision of his 
very soul, and his conversion was for him an actual change 
for time and eternity. Old things were passed away. 
New propositions and prospects arose to occupy his 
thoughts. 

ATTENDS OBERLIN COLLEGE 

What ideals and plans were his immediately after his 
conversion we do not know. It was not long, however, 
until he decided that a more advanced education was 
needful. Nothing will give a young person nobler am- 




D. S. Warner a student at Oberlin College 



CONVERSION, COLLEGE, AND CALLING 41 

bitions and greater desire to rise to all that is good and 
associated with usefulness than Christianity. On the 5th 
of September of the same year of his conversion he 
started to school at Oberlin College and enrolled for an 
English preparatory course. The details of his study 
at Oberlin and just how long he remained have not been 
learned. An old memorandum of his accounts indicates 
that he attended there only two months at first, and then 
taught school through the winter at Corunna, Ind., re- 
turning to Oberlin in the spring, and that he started again 
with the new school year in September, 1866. It is 
known, however, that his excellency of character shone 
while he was at school and was the subject of remark. 

He did not attend college as long as he had expected 
to; for it was while he was there that he began to feel 
God's hand upon him for the ministry. When he saw 
how long it would take to complete his college work and 
the need of laboring in the Lord's harvest while it was 
day, he felt impressed that God wanted him to cut short 
his college course and to prepare at once for the ministry. 
He accordingly went home, arranged for a room in his 
father's house, and spent one season there in applying 
himself to prayer, Bible-study, and those other things 
which he believed were directly necessary to his minis- 
terial preparation. 

Preparation for the ministry is more successful when, 
along with it, there can be more or less of actual practise. 
We can believe that Brother Warner was spiritual enough 
to keep in touch with God and to discern the divine lead- 
ing in the important matter to which he had committed 
himself. At any rate, in connection with his work of 
preparation he began to engage in ministering the gospel. 
He preached his first sermon on Easter night, 1867, in a 
Methodist Episcopal protracted meeting in the Cogswell 
Schoolhouse, not far from where he lived. Text, Acts 



42 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

3 : 18 — "But those things, which God before had showed 
by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, 
he hath so fulfilled." 



IV 

CHURCH OF GOD (WINEBRENNERIAN) 

At the time of his first effort in the ministry, which 
occurred more than two years after his conversion, Broth- 
er Warner had not as yet given his name to any religious 
society. To join a sectarian denomination is never by 
divine prompting, but is urged from human source. A 
young convert possessing the spirit of Christ is naturally at 
home in the Lord and with Christians anywhere. It is 
foreign to that spirit for one to limit oneself by subscrib- 
ing to any particular creed of men. Accordingly, our 
young brother was only "acting natural" when he mani- 
fested no particular anxiety to "join the church." Repre- 
sentatives of the denominations in his neighborhood pro- 
posed to him and presented their articles of faith. The 
fact that he referred the great question to the Scriptures 
and could see no authority for joining anything not recog- 
nized in the Scriptures shows that he was already poor 
material for sectarian construction, at least so far as the 
common arguments for sects go. 

There was one society, however, by which he was 
persuaded. The followers of John Winebrenner called 
themselves the Church of God. As they professed to 
hold to no creed but the Bible, repudiated sectarianism, 
baptized by immersion, and observed as an ordinance 
the washing of feet in conjunction with the Lord's Supper, 
all of which seemed good to him, and especially as they 
had the exact New Testament name for the true church, 
he was constrained to unite with that body. The mark 
of fellowship which differentiated them from other Chris- 
tians and constituted them a sect, was not apparent to 
him, and so, even during the many years of his earlier 
ministerial career, he identified this body with the true 



44 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

church. He said in later years that he had more liberty 
as a minister before he took that step than he had during 
the years he belonged to the denomination, which after 
all was but a sect. 

The Church of God, spelled with a capital C, and more 
fully denominated General Eldership of the Churches 
of God in North America, was founded by John Wine- 
brenner, in 1830. Winebrenner had been baptized and 
confirmed in the German Reformed Church (now the 
Reformed Church in the United States), and was given 
the pastorate at Harrisburg. He was a good man and 
the work of the ministry became the uppermost desire of 
his heart. He sought to raise the standard of true piety. 
His earnest preaching resulted in a revival in which he 
opposed theaters, dancing, gambling, lotteries, and rac- 
ing. Revivals of religion were new experiences in the 
churches of that region, so that his ministry awakened 
strong opposition, which resulted in official charges 
against him. He severed his relations with the Reformed 
Church but continued his ministry, extensive revivals 
following. 

Dr. C. H. Forney, in his History of the Churches of 
God, says, 

Winebrenner did not entertain the purpose of foundling a 
new denomination. These bodies he stigmatized as sects. Pro- 
fessor Nevin called the United Brethren and like bodies "rolling 
balls," and accused Winebrenner with "putting in motion a 
similar ball, which continues rolling to this hour (1842), not 
without abundance of noise." Winebrenner denounced this as 
gross misrepresentation. "But, sir, I did not retire for the ignoble 
purpose, as you have intimated, of putting another sectarian 
ball in motion. No, not at all. I had seen, through mercy, the 
great evil of these rolling balls, put in motion and kept in motion 
by the cunning craftiness of men and devils, and how by their 
repeated and unhappy collusions they hindered and marred the 
work of God in the earth; and, therefore, I resolved to fall back 
upon original grounds — tp stand aloof from all these sectarian 



CHURCH OF GOD (WINEBRENNERIAN) 45 

balls, and to do the work of an evangelist and minister of Christ 
by building up the church of God (the only true church) accord- 
ing to the plan and pattern as shown us in the New Testament. 
This is the high and firm ground we take. Our ball, therefore, 
is not like your ball, nor similar to other human balls. Ours is 
the Lord's ball. It was not cut out of the Romish Church by the 
hands of Calvin and others as was yours. But it was 'cut out of 
the mountain without hands.' The ball commenced rolling up- 
wards of eighteen hundred years ago, and it continues rolling 
to this hour; yea, and it will never cease rolling till every other 
man-made ball shall be either crushed or rolled up by it, and 
until the sound of it shall be 'like the sound of many waters, and 
as the voice of great thunder.' " 

On the subject of organization the same writer con- 
tinues, 

Winebrenner was indisposed to begin the organization of 
churches. The uniform testimony of his contemporaries is 
that he "had not at the beginning the remotest idea of organ- 
izing a distinct or separate body of people." But driven out of 
the pulpit by the Reformed Church, ostracised and persecuted, he 
was led to a closer personal investigation of church polity. He 
went to the highest source for light. He applied himself with 
singleness of purpose to the study of the Word of God. The re- 
sult was a material modification of his former views on ecclesi- 
ology. As he himself testified later: "As the writer's views had 
by this time materially changed as to the true nature of a 
Scriptural organization of churches, he adopted the apostolic 
plan, as taught in the New Testament, and established spiritual, 
free, and independent churches, consisting of believers or Chris- 
tians only, without any human name or creed or ordinances 
or laws." The local church was the unit. It possessed perfect 
autonomy. It was wholly independent of every other unit. Each 
such unit "possesses in its organized state," as Winebrenner ex- 
pressed it in 1829, "sufficient power to perform all acts of reli- 
gious worship and everything relating to ecclesiastic government 
and discipline. Every individual church is strictly independent 
of all others as it respects religious worship and the general 
government of its own affairs." Fellowship between these "free 
and independent" units there would be, but no higher organiza- 
tion was then recognized by Winebrenner which could limit the 
powers of the local church. Each of these local (Organizations 



46 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

would accept no human name, creed, nor ordinances; but would 
adopt the divine name and creed and ordinances. In his broad 
platform he saw a basis of the union of all Christians and 
churches. And. so the imperative duty of cultivating union be- 
tween all believers was strongly urged. These views prepared the 
way for Winebrenner to fall in with the growing demand for 
local church organization. For the multitudes of converts had 
"conceived the idea of, and began to talk about, organizing 
themselves into churches fpunded on Bible doctrines and prin- 
ciples even before Winebrenner had determined in his own mind 
to do so." 

Thus there were independent local churches organized 
in and around Harrisburg, which Winebrenner denomi- 
nated simply Churches of God. Each assumed the 

name of "Church of God at ." The members of 

these churches had equal rights, and elected and licensed 
men to preach. 

ORGANIZATION OF ELDERSHIPS 

There was as yet no common bonds, no general organ- 
ization or directing authority. In order to effect this and 
adopt a regular system of cooperation, a meeting was 
held at Harrisburg in October, 1830, attended by six 
of the licensed ministers. Of this meeting Winebrenner 
writes, "Thus originated the Church of God, properly 
so called, in the United States of America, and thus also 
originated the first Eldership." This organized body 
assumed no other name than Eldership, though later the 
term General Eldership was used to distinguish this body 
from the eldership of the local church. The term General 
Eldership was, however, applied at first only to the pres- 
byteries or Elderships of sections or States, which held 
their sessions annually. In October, 1844, Winebrenner 
proposed a General Eldership for the transaction of all 
business of a general nature affecting the various annual 
Elderships. It was provided that this General Eldership 
should hold its meetings triennially for the first twenty 



CHURCH OF GOD (WINEBRENNERIAN) 47 

years and after that every five years. Thus we see that 
by this time Winebrenner's views of church government 
were still further modified. 

The work continued to grow and spread to adjoining 
counties and to Maryland, western Pennsylvania, and 
Ohio, where Elderships were organized. 

Each local church elects its own elders and deacons, 
who with the pastor constitute the church council and are 
the governing power, having charge of the admission of 
members and the general care of the church work. The 
churches within a given district are associated together 
for cooperation in general work. The pastors and other 
ordained ministers within a district, together with an equal 
number of lay members, constitute the Annual Eldership, 
which appoints the ministers of the various charges. Each 
local church votes for a pastor, but the Annual Elder- 
ship makes the appointments within its own boundaries. 
These Annual Elderships elect an equal number of min- 
isterial and lay delegates, who constitute the General 
Eldership. 

The Churches of God, as already stated, have no writ- 
ten creed but assume to accept the Word of God as their 
only rule of faith and practise. They hold the doctrine 
of the Trinity, believe in human depravity, the atonement 
of Christ, justification by faith, the resurrection, future 
punishment, and are, in general, orthodox. Through these 
articles of their faith, and the fact that they took the 
Scriptural name, Church of God, the followers of Wine- 
brenner made their appeal to D. S. Warner. But they 
were lacking in some very important particulars, without 
which they could not possibly be, as was claimed, iden- 
tical with the New Testament church. Winebrenner 
started out well, but on the subject of Holy Spirit organ- 
ization and government he was not sufficiently illumined 
to avoid more or less of the human ecclesiastical authority 



48 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

which crept into the body of his followers and constituted 
them a sect. When holiness came they repudiated it, 
thereby revealing their position as outside the Holy Spirit 
control of believers. However, their teaching on the 
church question was correct as far as it went, and it took 
years of actual practise of obeying the lead of the Spirit 
to discover to Brother Warner and others the clash be- 
tween the Holy Spirit rule and the rule of human au- 
thority. 




D. S. Warner and wife (Tamzen Kerr) 



V 

FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 

Brother Warner had the right view of ministerial 
qualification. He realized that in order to succeed he 
must have the spiritual anointing, and that since it was 
God's work it was needful that he be in that divine rela- 
tion by which it would be God in him accomplishing the 
result. He held education to be very useful and it was 
his endeavor throughout his life to add to his knowledge ; 
but he regarded the spiritual qualification as paramount. 
He soon proved to be gifted as an evangelist and engaged 
much in evangelistic work. 

Before proceeding far in active ministerial work he 
was married, on the 5th of September, 1 867, to Tamzen 
Ann Kerr. It is probable that he became acquainted 
with this young woman while he was teaching school 
in the vicinity of her home, which was near West Unity, 
Williams County. She lived to enjoy his companionship 
and to share his labors only about four and one half years. 
Early in 1 872 she gave birth to triplets, which lived only 
a few hours. Nor did the mother long survive the ordeal, 
as she died on May 26, after a succession of spasms. 
A family record in an old Bible shows also the birth 
of a son, on Dec. 29, 1868, but fails to record his death. 
Brother Warner refers to this son once in his diary. 

He was granted a license by the West Ohio Elder- 
ship,* which met in its eleventh annual session at Findlay 
in October, 1867. His reference to this event in his 
diary is given in another part of this book. In this chapter 
as well as in some of the succeeding chapters, the copious 
extracts from Brother Warner's diary will give the reader 

•Dr. Forney, in the account of the Eleventh West Ohio Elder- 
ship in his History of the Churches of God, refers to D. S. Warner 
as being "later the leader in Ohio and westward of a body of 
people who gave the brotherhood considerable trouble." 



50 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

a better understanding of his character, his temperament, 
his spirituality and devotion, and his work, than would 
description by another. Unfortunately these journal 
records for the first five years of his ministry (for it is 
assumed that he kept such records), which no doubt 
would be very interesting, are not available. All the 
information to be obtained covering this period is from 
those still living who had personal knowledge of the 
events, and from references to this period in his later 
records. In one of these he says he began traveling in 
1868. In another he refers to having labored the first 
year in Hancock County, at Blanchard Bethel, in con- 
nection with Findlay. 

During the first six years of his ministry his activities 
covered practically all of northwestern Ohio and a small 
portion of Indiana. Persons now living who were pres- 
ent in some of his revivals during this period state that 
they were remarkable for manifestations of God's power. 
Hard-hearted sinners, some of whom had not attended 
a meeting for years, would get under conviction and cry 
audibly for mercy. He ranked high as an evangelist — 
above the average of his day. In physical appearance 
he was slightly above average in height, rather slender and 
frail in build. His temperament was sanguine-nervous, 
eyes blue, hair brown — a fine sensitive organization. He 
wore a full beard, which in later years he kept shortly 
trimmed. He had the perfect bearing of a minister of 
the gospel, and his speech and conduct were fully con- 
sistent. His mentality was keen. His lungs were weak, 
but he wore well as a speaker. His voice was musical 
and possessed good carrying quality. One of his earliest 
revivals was held at New Washington, Crawford County, 
the home of his boyhood. He refers to it under date of 
Nov. 24, 1872, as follows: 

This town had ever been abandoned to the mercies of Catho- 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 51 

lies. Old Lutherans, and saloons, all of which were equally de- 
structive of all moral good. No protracted effort had ever been 
made in the place. No conversions had ever been heard of. In 
the fall of 1870 I was put upon the Seneca circuit, of which New 
Washington was nearly in the center, and knowing the debauch- 
ery and ignorance of the people in general, I determined to lift 
up the standard of King Immanuel in that place. Accordingly 
I settled in the place and rented a vacant building that used to 
contain a drug store and saloon. The owner had speculative 
motives, having asked quite a dear rent for the room. But dur- 
ing the winter I and companion made special prayer to God for 
his conversion. 

The meeting was begun on the 17th of February, 1871. The 
night before the owner slept not for deep conviction. As soon 
as I arose in the morning he came to me in tears and confessed 
his sins and asked my prayers. I directed him to look to Christ 
for immediate pardon and deliverance. I gave him some of the 
great promises of Christ. And there, standing in his own stable, 
he looked to Christ and experienced a full pardon of all his sins. 
This settled the rent for the house. The third night six came 
to the altar. The meeting was attended with great power and 
produced a great stir among the people, many of whom had never 
seen the like. Fifty-six were converted, forty-six baptized, and 
forty-six fellowshiped into the organization. 

Among these converts were a number of his school- 
mates, old acquaintances, and neighbors. George Pratt, 
of Nappanee, Ind., an old schoolmate and a former resi- 
dent of New Washington, makes this statement concern- 
ing this meeting: "The meeting was held in my father's 
drug-store building. Brother Warner held the meeting 
unaided. He stood there alone and preached while others 
threatened. There were bad elements that rose in oppo- 
sition, the Lutheran being the worst and the Catholic 
next. My father protected him. It was a wonderful 
meeting and many were saved." 

The earliest of his diary records so far available begin 
in November, 1872, as follows, when he was on the 
Seneca circuit and had his home with a Brother Wright, 
in Crawford County, Ohio : 



52 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

8. Brother P. Wright brought me tp Bucyrus. Staid all night 
with Bro. J. G. Wirt. The Methodists had a festival. I and a 
few members of the same church (who repudiated these follies 
and inconsistencies) met for prayer and the Lord was with us. 
These brethren were much dissatisfied with their church relation. 

9. Left Bucyrus at 7 A. M. Reached Lima at nine. Stopped 
at the Burnet House till 1 : 20 P. M. Wrote a letter to my broth- 
er and one to brother-in-law, L. W. Guiss. 

10. Sabbath. A. M., prayer-meeting at Brother Dague's, P. M., 
heard a Lutheran minister in Milton. Evening, preached from 
Isa. 28:16, 17. I occupied the Presbyterian house. I preached 
here some in the schoolhouse in 1868, the first year I traveled. 

11. Took the train at 7: 30 A. M. for Tontogany, with the de- 
sign of finding where God wishes me to labor as a missionary. 
Lord, guide thy servant to the place thou canst best use him! 
Walked from Tontogany to Brother Hardee's. Evening, went to 
Evangelical meeting. Brother W — preached. Heard a great 
noise, but to the congregation it appeared as a tinkling cymbal 
and sounding brass, evidently having no effect. Nearly all blew 
loudly the horn of sanctification but manifested little of its fruits, 
such as travail of soul for the sinner and sympathy for the one 
soul at the altar, to whom none gave a word of encouragement, 
but each in turn arose and boasted of his holiness. Oh the delu- 
sions of Satan! How manifold they are! 

In the entry just quoted the reader will notice his 
prejudice, existing at that time, against the doctrine of 
holiness, or sanctification. How strange it seems to those 
who knew him afterward to be a whole-souled advocate 
of the doctrine of holiness, that he should thus speak! 
It was altogether a matter of light and understanding. 
His heart was consecrated and he certainly was not un- 
acquainted with the Holy Spirit during his early ministry. 
But as a definite experience to be believed for and testi- 
fied to, he knew nothing about sanctification as yet. Also, 
it is possible that in its advocates whom he had met thus 
far, the doctrine and experience had not been rightly 
represented. 

It will be observed also from these quotations from his 
journal that he meant to stand, and believed he was stand- 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 53 

ing, free from sectarianism. He had considerable light 
on the church question and spiritual Babylon. 

The place referred to in the following entry was near 
Holland, Lucas County. 

13. Visited Father and Brother John McNut and Brother Ir- 
vin. Eve, preached in the brick schoolhouse, on Jas. 1 : 27. 
Here the Church of God had long been slandered and persecut- 
ed, principally by the United Brethren Church. One of the epi- 
thets they had for years called us is, "Johnny Cake Church." 
Bro. Henry S. McNut lives here nearly alone. He and his wife 
and their ancestors for generations past belonged to the United 
Brethren, but in the fall of 1870, after a hard spell of sickness 
in which he feared that he should die and be lost for not obey- 
ing the truth, he came to the West Ohio Eldership and received 
a license and began to preach amidst a storm of persecution from 
the United Brethren Church. Even his own companion, though 
an amiable woman, had been so poisoned against the Church 
of God that she joined in to oppose; him. But he was firm and 
now commands the position. Every foe had fled and all that 
truly fear God join in to encourage the truth. Some will doubt- 
less soon cut loose from sectarian bondage. Those that were 
the bitterest enemies now confess that we are right and they 
are wrong. 

The Church of God, as we have seen, repudiated 
sectarianism, and the assumption by that church that it 
was the Scriptural one was a strong underlying principle. 
In some respects it held the correct idea of the Scriptural 
church. To some extent, therefore, Brother Warner's 
membership in that denomination afforded him light that 
naturally led to the full Scriptural standard which he 
afterward taught. His affiliation with that denomina- 
tion in the first place was, as we have seen, because of a 
disposition to be Scripturally right on this point. 

14. Brother McNut and I went to Toledo to look for a place 
in which to open a mission in that city. 

15. Walked nearly all day in search of a place to open a mis- 
sion. No success. May God soon open the way for the establish- 
ment of his church in this place. 



54 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

In his diary Brother Warner recorded something for 
each day. Every time he preached it was noted and 
numbered and the text was given. The Eldership re- 
quired each minister to give a report of his work. It is 
not necessary to quote all the shorter entries and items 
from his diary, which are much the same and generally 
speak of his visiting some one, making some trip, reading, 
writing, preaching, praying, fasting, baptizing, etc. Only 
the more interesting items, or such as are the most repre- 
sentative, will be given. 

22. Returned to Auburn. Meeting at Basswood still in 
progress. The young men who made a start the last night I was 
there have all found Jesus their Savior. Preached from Mai. 
3:8. A deep seriousness pervaded the minds of all. The feel- 
ing of that night shall not soon be forgotten. It was as solemn 
as the grave. A sensation of dark and fearful forebodings of 
some approaching calamity ran through every mind. Bro. H. 
Caldwell arose and said he had a matter revealed to him that he 
felt impressed to relate, and that was that before tomorrow's 
sun should set some one in this community would suddenly be 
killed. At his request we arose and pledged ourselves to offer 
one more fervent prayer that night in behalf of poor sinners. 

23. Spent the day at home in reading, meditation and 
prayer. Brother Jenner preached in the evening. I labored hard 
to bring penitents to the altar. Three came out, two of whom 
were old acquaintances of mine, for whom I had felt a deep 
interest. One found peace. 

After meeting was dismissed we heard that Ezekiel R — , an 
old man eighty-two or eighty-three years of age, who lived one 
mile and a quarter east of the schoolhouse, had that day been 
killed by the cars in crossing the track at Shelby. I knew 
the man from my boyhood; he bought out my father in that 
country in 1853. He was very wealthy. God had blessed him 
with long life, prosperity', and good health. But he had no 
thanks to offer to his divine Benefactor, having set his whole 
heart upon the god of this world. There was no place for Christ 
in his heart. He leaned toward Universalism, because conge- 
nial to the carnal mind. He was filled with skepticism and was 
always in the habit of speaking lightly of preachers and profes- 
sors of religion. I visited him twice during the meeting at 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 55 

Auburn last winter and conversed with him on the subject of 
religion. He acknowledged that there is one thing in the Bible 
that caused him to study a good deal, and that is the new birth, 
which he said, was perfectly dark to him. He told of having 
once gone to hear one of the greatest champions of Universal- 
ism preach on the subject. "But," said he, "I received no light 
whatever." His case was a clear fulfilment of 1 John 2:11, 
"Darkness hath blinded his eyes," and 2 Cor. 4:4, "The God 
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not." 
He had a very large development of brain, of which firm- 
ness was the largest developed organ. What a pity that the 
devil perverted these faculties! 

I was informed that he was going that day to close a mortgage 
and take a widow's farm from her. His last words to his wife, 
who cautioned him to beware of the cars at the crossing, were, 
"I was not made to be killed by the cars." This is like one who 
said to his soul, "Thou hast much laid up for many days; eat, 
drink, and be merry." But God said "Thou fool! this night shall 
thy soul be required of thee." He said "I was not made to be 
killed by the cars." But God said, "Thou fool! this day shalt 
thou be killed by the cars." His brains were dashed out and 
strewn along the road. His body was much mangled. But his 
poor s,oul has gone with all its guilt to where another rich 
man opened his eyes in torment. 

The entry for the 24th, which was Sunday, records his 
preaching a farewell sermon to the congregation at New 
Washington, and also his reference to the revival held 
there in February, 1871. He had had the care of the 
congregation there. 

25. I and Bro. S. Kline came to Conjay's, near Annapolis, 
Crawford County, Ohio, and began my first protracted effort 
in the name of Christ. Preached from Psa. 85: 6, 7. A good 
interest was manifested. Oh that God would visit the place in 
power, save many precious souls, and raise up a people for his 
name! 

27. Started early for Bucyrus on our way to the Standing 
Committee at Rock Run. Took train at 10 A. M., arrived there 
at noon. I was chosen to fill a vacancy on the committee. Upon 
us devolved the solemn and responsible duty of trying and dis- 

fellowshiping Elder L. E for immoral conduct. Oh, what 

a pity! May the Lord have mercy upon him and help him to 



56 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

repent and be restored to the confidence of the people. May 
he be saved in the day of wrath. Oh, how careful the man of 
God, especially the minister of the gospel, should conduct him- 
self in this wicked world! Lord, deliver us from temptation. 

The meetings referred to in the next few entries were 
a protracted effort at the Conlay Bethel, near Annapolis, 
now called Sulphur Springs, Crawford County, Ohio. 

Dec. 4, 1872. Visited a sick saint, J. McEntire, who has been 
afflicted for many years. He was near his last. Oh, what a 
happy soul. The night before he was almost gone. Said he, 
"I saw a convoy of angels around my bed waiting to carry my 
spirit home. I thought I was going home. Here I am yet ling- 
ering on the shores of time." Then a brother came in, to whom 
he remarked, "Sister Polly has gone home. I thought I would 
beat her, but I am left behind. All summer I and Cousin Pat- 
rick and Aunt Polly have had a hard race, but they have both 
crossed over and I am left to struggle on; but every gale wafts 
my little ship nearer the shining shore." "Oh!" said he, "It 
is all bright ahead, not a cloud do I see." After a little rest he 
remarked, "Oh! Brother, I know that my spirit will not go down 
into forgetfulness until the resurrection; but I am going to 
Jesus, which is far better. Oh, how sweet the name of Jesus!" 
I spent the day with this brother, sang and prayed with him. 
Eve, preached from Acts 3:19. 

9. Spent the day in fasting and in much wrestling and prayer 
for poor souls under the guilt of sin. Preached from Luke 13: 
6-9. One young lady came to the altar. 

10. Under much discouragement during the day. Evening, 
while singing the opening hymn I was greatly refreshed at the 
coming in of Bro. William Burchard, from Auburn, who was 
converted under my labors and baptized by me last winter. He 
was a very wild, wicked man, but has become a model of piety 
and earnest devotion. He has a brilliant intellect and has al- 
ready made great proficiency in preaching. Thank God for 
such men of holy zeal. He being tired with the walk of eleven 
miles, I preached, from Ezek. 33 : 1 1 . The penitent of the pre- 
vious night came out and soon the good news went to heaven 
that another soul was saved by grace. It was a glorious meet- 
ing. One sister shouted. I got a great victory and was very 
happy. Likewise testified the convert and all the rest who spoke. 

17. Good day meeting. Rebuked a boy for trying to pollute 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 57 

the house of God by spitting tobacco juice and quids on the 
floor. I said nothing to him, knowing that I should be insulted 
in return. But being filled with the Spirit I tried to encourage 
the three little mourners (girls who had come to the altar) and 
then addressed the brethren upon the importance of laboring for 
the early conversion of children, stating that it is enough to 
make the angels in heaven weep to see how the devil is leading 
even the children to wallow in sin and "glory in their shame." 
"Now, look at that po,or boy," said I, pointing to him. "Ever 
since he came in here he has been doing his best to defile the 
house of God with his filthy tobacco. It was once said that 
'He that doeth evil cometh not to the light lest his deeds be 
reproved,' but the devil has s,o polluted poor souls that even 
children in broad day-light do not blush to do such evil and 
dirty work for the devil as that. Christ said, That which cometh 
out of the mouth defileth the heart.' How defiled that heart 
must be, all that stench having come out of his mouth! A 
few nights ago a dog was accidentally shut in here and remained 
until the next evening, but did not pollute the house one half 
as much as that boy has done in half an hour." At this he grabbed 
his hat and, "being convicted in his own conscience, went 
out." God pity that boy and help older people to take a hint. 

18. A. M, wrote most of the time. P. M., visited Brother 
McEntire. Found him much cast down and depressed, being 
overanxious to be absent from the body, in which 'tabernacle 
we groan, being burdened.' I told him that he ought to wait 
patiently till his "change cometh," knowing when he got home 
once he would have long time to stay there, even through all 
eternity; and the longer he should be tossed about upon the 
dark and tempestuous sea of this troublesome life the greater 
would be his joy when at last he should land in the peaceful 
harbor of the great city of God. After reading and singing 
and praying with him, he had great peace and perfect resig- 
nation to God. 

25. Another Christmas is here. thou Child of Bethlehem, 
may we this day bring the offering of a grateful heart! May 
every tongue on earth and all the angels in heaven join together 
to spread the glory of Jesus' name! Dear Lord, we thank thee 
for the unspeakable gift of thy Son to man. Oh, may every 
heart prepare him room! Dear Savior, draw poor sinners to 
thee. Show them thy bleeding hands, temples, and side. Oh 



58 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

that the star of hope would this day guide many poor wandering 
souls to thee! 

28. Came to the place pf meeting. Distance thirteen miles. 
Schoolhouse was full. Good attention. Went to Solomon B — 's, 
an infidel. Talked till twelve at night. 

29. Sabbath. Talked with Mr. B. until 10:30 A. M. He is 
a very smart man. Has his excellent memory stored with the 
writings of almost every wretch that ever dared to attack God and 
his holy religion. He is one of the best readers I ever met. 
What a pity that this noble intellect should be so basely em- 
ployed! His horrid utterances are enough to chill the blood 
and heart of man and cause the angels of heaven to weep. He 
claims to be "a smarter man than Christ." "The devil is a gen- 
tleman compared with God." "Your God is not fit to be wor- 
shiped by a dog." "All professors are either hypocrites or fools." 
Oh, that God would pity that poor wretch who in the blindness 
of his depraved heart dares to rush with violence upon the Al- 
mighty ! 

30. Spent the day in reading, writing, and prayer, at Brother 
Conlay's. Eve, preached from Rom. 2:4. Good congregation. 
Saw some omens of good. 

31. This is the last day of another year. How swift the years 
roll around and each brings us nearer eternity! Lord, help us 
to redeem the time and so "number our days, that we may apply 
our hearts unto wisdom," that at last it may not be said of us 
that "we spend our years as a tale that is told." Oh that each 
hour of my short life may bring some good account at last, when 
life's conflict is o'er! Great and many have been the changes 
of the last year. Yea, 

"What countless millions of mankind 
Have left this fleeting -world! 
They're gone, but where? oh, pause and see, 
Gone to a long eternity \" 

One there was, the dearest of my earthly friends, who a year 
ago stood by my side, the joy of my life, the sweet, innocent 
object of my fervent love. But she is gone, that dear compan- 
ion upon whose rosy cheek and harmless lips I used to impress 
the kiss of burning, never-dying love. Tamzen! thy heart 
and life, as pure as the white and fleecy snow that this morn- 
ing covers thy peaceful resting-place, has reared an everlasting 
monument in the hearts of all that knew thee on earth. 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 59 

I have now seen thirty years pass into eternity. Not quite 
eight years have been devoted to God. The year has been one 
of God's goodness to me, notwithstanding the loss of my blessed 
wife, which is her gain and God's glory, and therefore I am 
willing to travel on a lone pilgrim in search of souls for Jesus' 
sake. 

Twas very stormy. Wrote and read. Preached from Psa. 
90:9, "We spend our years as a tale that is told." Tried to 
show the folly of living in sin. 

Jan. 1, 1873. This is the first day of the year. my soul, 
set out afresh for heaven! Lord help me to spend the year all to 
thy glory if we live to the end. But if it is said of me, "This 
year thou shalt die," may I be ready to enter into rest. 

7. Preached from Rom. 6:1. Told my dream, the subject 
of which I thought was in the way of a score of souls. 

8. Fasted today. Very solemn meeting at Brother Crim's. 
All wept for poor sinners. Lord, hear the prayers and groans 
and bottle up the tears of thy children and bring thy salvation 
nigh! Preached from Heb. 2:3. The meeting has received a 
great backset. I fear the whole work is killed. Before I came 
here I had a peculiar dream in which I saw a face that was 
strange to me. There was much confusion in those features, 
as in the midst of a council it stood out conspicuous, and there 
was something in the position of the person that pierced my 
heart. Last night I announced that I had recognized these 
features since I came here. Mr. B., the infidel, arose and asked 
whether he were the man. I said no. Tonight Esq. K., a 
poor blind Lutheran, came to meeting, and before I closed he 
arose and enquired if he were the man. While I was talking, 
I was powerfully baptized by the Spirit of God and replied, 
"Thou art the man." He was daunted, but stammered out a 
denial; but before I had time to ask a question he confessed 
that he had forbidden his family to come out to the altar. They 
are five young men and one daughter, three of them were under 
deep conviction and others serious. One of the boys is mar- 
ried and his wife and all their associates were serious and some 
anxious to come out, but all were prevented from coming to 
Christ by this poor wretch, whose form of religion fitted him to 
do this work for the devil. 

In this attack I realized the fulfilment of the promise of 
Christ. 'In that same hour it shall be given you what ye shall 
answer, for it shall not be you but the Spirit that speaketh.' 



60 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

I warned him of the fearful account he would have to give at 
the judgment-bar of God. 

9. Meeting at Samuel Shell's. We were all cast down and felt 
the Spirit of God had been grieved out of the community. Eve, 
preached from Jer. 28 : 1 6. Gave a farewell address and closed 
the meeting because, first, the work was so stagnated that noth- 
ing could be expected to be accomplished without a longer effort 
than I could devote to the place and, second, because it was 
highly probable that as soon as the work should break out again 
Satan would stir up trouble again from some source. I gained 
many warm friends and sowed seed which I trust will bring 
fruit to God. Some of the young men that desired religion I 
think will not give up the struggle. They sent me some money 
and word that if I would hold a meeting somewhere in reach 
that they would attend and seek religion, but there they had not 
the heart to come out. 

25. Visited Brother and Sister Chapman. She is an excellent 
saint. Found her much afflicted. Brother C. had for many 
years been a skeptic and Universalist, but a year ago he came 
out at a meeting held by Bro. T. James and me. He is a faith- 
ful brother. A neighbor of his by name of L — , who was the 
means of breaking up the fore-mentioned meeting, dropped dead 
in his tracks a few months ago. 

Feb. 28, 1873. Good day meeting at Brother McClintjock's. 
[near Larue, Marion County]. Eve, preached from Eph. 2:2. 
Four came to the altar and were blessed, one of whom had been 
an avowed Universalist. Others doubtless would have come out 
but the house was so densely filled that we could not crowd 
the people back to get more room for penitents. 

Mar. 1, 1873. Spent the day at Mother Melvin s. Wrote an 
article for the Advocate. Brother Burchard preached. Four at 
the altar. All were blessed, I think. House crowded and many 
outside. 

2. Sabbath. Speaking at ten. Preached on Church of God, 
Acts 20:28. Eve, the House was packed and all the windows 
were crowded on the outside. Preached, Jer. 13:16. By hard 
work we got a little space at the altar and four presented them- 
selves for prayer. 

5. Meeting at Brother Deen's. Fellowshiped twelve. P. M. t 
because of the immense crowd that thronged the schoolhouse 
we divided the meeting. I preached at Windfall, from Job.22: 
15-17. Several rose for prayers. Brother Burchard preached 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 61 

at the Ellen Schoolhouse, one and one half miles north. 

9. Sabbath. Brother Small and I went to the Shertzer School- 
house, where he preached at 1 1 A. M. on church matters, after 
which we received in fellowship eleven members, most by letter 
from the Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches. After 
taking a hasty dinner we mounted our steeds and rode four 
miles, partly through a woods, in the midst of a rain and severe 
storm. Reached Windfall at 2:30 P. M. Eve, preached on 
Acts 26: 18. One at the altar. 

10. Prepared a dam to baptize. Eve, Num. 10:28. 

11. A. M M preached on sisters* right to speak and pray in 
meeting, after which we had a speaking-meeting. Fellowshiped 
fourteen members. House crowded and many on the outside. 
One brother who was always opposed to women's speaking arose 
and confessed his error. We then proceeded to the water, 
where I baptized twenty-two converts in eleven minutes. It was 
a glorious and beautiful baptismal service. All came out shout- 
ing and praising God. Eve, preached on Luke 13:6-9. Several 
rose for prayers, some of whom were old in sin. We had a 
speaking-meeting. All that had been immersed said that it had 
been a happy day for them and that they had turned a new 
and brighter page in the history of their pilgrimage. Oh how 
good it is to obey God! A good part of the number had been 
sprinkled, some after making a profession of religion in adult 
years. Great God, what a pity that the world is cursed by an un- 
holy sectarian ministry "who teach for doctrine the command- 
ments of men ! " 

12. Eve, preached on barren fig-tree, Matt. 21 : 18-22. Four 
came to the altar, one blessed. Went home with Mr. William 
Riser, who brought a horse for me to ride. It was a beautiful 
light night, and a ride of some two miles winding through the 
woods was somewhat pleasant. Did not retire until twelve 
o'clock. 

13.. This morning I spent an hour rambling far out in the 
dense, rolling forest to breath the pure air and to hold commun- 
ion with my God. At ten William Riser's house was filled with 
brethren and sisters. We had a glorious meeting. All were 
happy, many shouted. It was something very strange to have a 
meeting in this house. All remarked that it was something they 
had never expected to see. Mr. R. is a man of nearly fifty years 
and a great sinner. His wife has been converted and I think 
the Lord is striving with his heart and his brother's, who is still 



62 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

older. Oh that God would raise them up as monuments of his 
mercy ! Eve, Luke 19:10. Two at the altar. 

14. A. M., meeting at schoolhouse. P. M., just before preach- 
ing I met with a few brethren who had been at variance, and 
helped to form a reconciliation, which was a perfect success. 
Preached on Matt. 22:21. 

16. Sabbath. Preached one and three fourths hours on Ezek. 
43:10,11, after which we fellowshiped and then baptized three. 
Eve, Brother Crawford, Baptist minister preached. Closed the 
meeting. Result, thirty-five converted, twenty-five immersed, 
church formed of thirty-three members. Expect more additions 
soon. 

20. Eve, met the church at Windfall. Decided to build a 
meeting-house. Preached on church officers. Elders and dea- 
cons elected. 

Apr. 3, 1873. Came to New Haven [Huron County]. Eve, 
met a number of my dear spiritual children in prayer-meeting. 
Had a good time and they exhorted me to meet them in heaven. 

4. Beautiful day. How bright the sun shines! How the 
heart is gladdened at the return of warm and sunny days after 
such a long and hard winter as we have passed through! Oh, 
how I appreciate the Savior's beautiful metaphor in the Song 
of Solomon, where the present state of the church is represented 
by the winter with its dark clouds and howling winds, fierce with 
cold and hunger and hardship! But glory to God, the spring will 
come; already the fig-tree is putting forth her leaves, the turtle 
dove is heard in the land, and soon we shall hear the voice of 
the bridegroom calling, "Rise up, my beloved, my fair one, and 
come away; for the winter is past, and behold, thy beloved has 
come for thee." What a happy time that will be when, rising 
from the grave, we shall meet our dear friends and our Savior! 

I am writing these lines in the beautiful cemetery near New 
Haven, Ohio. Before me is the little mound which shows the 
resting-place of my three little infants who a little over a year 
ago passed in a few hours through this vale of tears, and their 
little spirits are forever at rest with Jesus; and in one little box 
their bodies await the Savior's coming. What a glorious morn- 
ing when all these graves shall burst open and the bodies shall 
come forth! they that have done good to the resurrection of 
life and glory, and they that have done evil to the resurrection 
of shame. Oh, may I be among the former class! Lord, make 
me a good man and keep me pure in heart. Farewell, sacred 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 63 

spot. Farewell, little tomb, with thy three-fold treasure. 

16. Went to Bryan [Williams County] and ordered a tomb- 
stone for my wife's grave. The one selected cost fifty dollars, 
has a Bible lying on it, and I gave the following epitaph : 
How sweet and pure in social life, 
As daughter, sister, friend, and wife! 
Now done with cares below the sun, 
She shines before the snow-white throne. 

18. Came home. Found Father and Mother and Brother well. 

23. Commenced an editorial on Islamism. 

24. Wrote and studied phrenology alternately. 

26. Sent my article on Islamism. Brother Cassel and other 
preachers in Illinois send an urgent invitation for me to come 
to that State. 

27. Sabbath. Preached today from 2 Pet. 1 : 1 in the Cogs- 
well Schoolhouse [near his father's home], where I made my 
first effort to preach the gospel, on Easter night, 1867. Twas 
in a Methodist Episcopal protracted meeting. The text was 
Acts 3:18. Never preached there since. In those six years I 
have preached all over northwest Ohio and some in two coun- 
ties in Indiana, in all 1241 sermons. The number of converts 
508, about the same number fellowshiped, some less baptized, 
Thanks be to God for his blessings and his presence! Though 
always of weak lungs, thought oft to be consumptive, yet my 
health has been better since in the ministry than ever before. 
Bless God for his goodness! I have never missed but one ap- 
pointment on account of health. The years have swiftly passed, 
but, thank the Lord, I have enjoyed great peace and many rich 
blessings from the Lord. 

May 13, 1873. Visited Tamzen's grave. Disappointed in not 
finding the monument up. Visited D. W. Dustin, one of my 
scholars. Exhorted him to give his heart to Christ. 

15. Prepared a sermon on the evidence of the divine origin 
of the Bible. 

16. Argument with Mr. Butler on the soul. 

He attended, from the 21st to the 23d, the meeting of 
the Board of Missions. He does not indicate where this 
meeting was held, but says in connection that he "poached 
in the Smithville Bethel'* and "had very poor liberty, 
owing perhaps to the presence of many eastern ministers." 
It was at this meeting of the Board of Missions that he 



64 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

received his appointment to the mission in Nebraska, of 
which he thus speaks: 

23. Beautiful day. Business finished up at 5 P. M. Brother 
Small was appointed to Chicago, I to Seward mission, Nebraska. 
Again I lay all upon the altar of God. It is very hard for me to 
leave my dearly beloved brethren of West Ohio. Thank God, 
for the great Head of the church is with them and his cause 
is greatly prospering here, and I must go help the cause in the 
far West. We parted with tears and many farewells. 

24. Brother Small and I took train at 7:14 A. M, he for 
Marion, I for Larue, which I reached at 12 M. Received a letter 
from my beloved brother Sol. Kline. All our dear spiritual chil- 
dren are yet doing well on Seneca circuit. Wrote two letters. 
Preached at Windfall, 2 Pet. 1:13. Great row after meeting. 

28. These days I have been low spirited and much cast 
down. It is the first anniversary of the death and burial of 
my blessed companion. How lonely I feel! My bereavement 
comes with all its weight upon me. Lord, be thou my comfor- 
ter in all my loneliness. In eve, preached in Larue on the Church 
of God. Text, Eph. 1:10. I treated it as follows: 

1. Notice the purpose of God. 

2. "One" church. 

3. Extent — heaven and earth. 

4. Provisions for oneness: 

(a) One church typified. 

(b) One, bought, sanctified, made, built. 

(c) One faith. 

(d) One spirit to animate it. 

(e) One head, Christ. 

(f) One name, Church of God. 

(g) One law to govern it. 

5. Standard of oneness — "As I and the Father are one." 

6. Time of this oneness. 

7. To be visible, "That the world may believe," etc. 

8. Object pf oneness. 

9. Apostasy and restoration of the church. 
10. Illustrations: 

(a) Paths, Jer. 6:16. 

(b) River. 

(c) House. 

(d) Corner stone. 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 65 

The Lord gave me great liberty and boldness. Thank his holy 
name! 

29. Staid last night with Bro. L. Orr. Sister 0. is afflicted; 
prayed to the Lord for her recovery. Preached in Larue, eve, 
Ezek. 43:10,11. 

30. It had been announced in the Larue Citizen that I would 
speak on the Church of G,od. This brought out quite a large 
congregation. Both nights I spoke plainly and boldly against 
the evil of sectarianism and other abominations. Many were 
ill at ease. Some preachers were present. The Lord gave me 
good liberty. Last night I diagramed my subject with chalk 
upon the blackboard. 2 P. M., took train for Pentecost meeting 
at Pleasant Hill. 

Brother Warner became a strong exponent of the 
prophecies. Note his reference to some reform near at 
hand. This meeting was held at West Auburn, Craw- 
ford County, after his return from Pleasant Hill. 

June 8, 1873. Sabbath. Thank God for life and health and this 
beautiful day! Behold the throngs pressing toward the house 
of God! Speaking-meeting was to begin at half past nine. Ere 
the time the house was filled. Others kept coming in continually, 
much to the detriment of the interest of the meeting. After 
all were seated that could be and the aisles were filled, there 
were numbers yet without. The house had been purchased by 
the Church of God from the Methodist Episcopal Church and 
repaired in good style. At eleven, preaching began. Text, 
Haggai 2:9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than 
the former, saith the Lord of hosts." . . . 

I then took up the text used in the forenoon and showed that 
the destruction of the Temple and the Babylon captivity typi- 
fied the dark age. The different attempts to rebuild typified 
the different reformations. Its final completion, i. e., all the so- 
called churches arising in anc( growing out of the Dark Age, in- 
cluding the sects, in which are many of God's people, who are, 
however, commanded of God to "come out of her." Further 
showed that according to the type and other Scriptures the church 
of God must arise to a glory excelling that of the first age, and 
that, owing to the fact that the world is near its end (of which 
we gave some Scripture evidence), some great revolution must 
be near at hand to bring about this prophesied glory of the 
church. 



66 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Some remarks were made on the ordinances, after which we 
engaged in the ordinances. Had a glorious time. A great many 
brethren and sisters were present to engage in following the 
Lord. Oh how I love those dear people! What a host of true 
hearts! God bless them. 

14. Traveled by buggy to the grove-meeting at Windfall, 
four miles south of Larue. Brother Burchard preached an ex- 
cellent sermon. 

17. Received letters from Brother Bolton requesting me to 
come soon to my mission [in Nebraska] and one from Brother 
Shoemaker requesting me to stop and preach over Sabbath in 
Chicago. 

19. Wrote out the record of the Church of God at New Wash- 
ington. Eve, preached at Union. Here the church have a pe- 
culiar attachment to me. All wept much at my departure. A more 
true and faithful band is hard to find. God bless them. They 
are very dear to me. About half of the church are my converts. 

20. Visited Brother E — and Sister P — . They embraced re- 
ligion under my labors, and I joined them in marriage. Came 
home and packed for my journey. 

21. Finished matters up to start. Received a letter from a 
kind friend. Went to New Haven in the evening. Farewell 
meeting at New Haven. 

22. Sabbath. Thank God for a beautiful day. Many breth- 
ren came in from Union, New Washington, Auburn, and Liberty, 
and Brother Mitchell and others from east Ohio. We had a 
glorious meeting. I preached onj Luke 13:29, "They shall come 
from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from 
the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." 

After preaching, Brother Jenner baptized four souls, two of 
whom had been converted here at New Haven, the other two 
were from elsewhere. Thus out of eight souls converted only 
two were baptized. This is the result of deferring to baptize 
for six months. Evening, preached on John 6:66-68. Had a 
good time in observing the ordinances. With many tears and 
farewell greetings, we gave each other the parting hand. Oh 
what friends are these! It tries the heart-strings to leave them. 
What a glorious thing that there is a meeting that knows no 
parting ! What must it be to be there ! May we all meet at last, 
when the storms of life are over. 

Before leaving for the West, a correspondence was 



FIRST YEARS IN MINISTRY 67 

arranged with Sarah A. Keller, of Upper Sandusky. 
She is doubtless the "kind friend" just referred to with 
emphasis. Out of this correspondence there soon sprang 
a glowing flame of love, the beginning of a companion- 
ship that meant for him so much of both weal and woe. 



VI 

A NEBRASKA MISSION 

The denomination known as the Church of God, found- 
ed by John Winebrenner in Pennsylvania in 1830, soon 
spread over western Pennsylvania and Ohio and gradu- 
ally extended its missionary effort into the States farther 
west. Brother Warner's field of labor in Nebraska cov- 
ered more or less the counties of Seward, York, Polk, 
Hamilton, and Fillmore. We shall again let him speak 
for himself. 

Jane 25, 1873. This is my birthday. Thirty-one years of 
my hasty life have passed away. They have gone to eternity. 
Their record has all been entered upon the book by the Scribe 
of heaven. Lord, whatever has not been set down to thy glory, 
for Jesus' sake blot out in the blood of Christ 1 Only eight years 
have been devoted to God and they crowded with many imper- 
fections. Great God, I thank thee that we have an advocate 
to plead our cause and secure our pardon. Wash me, Lord, 
and make me clean. Oh, keep me pure in heart, that the re- 
mainder of life may all be given to God! 

Took train at Upper Sandusky for Chicago. Ate dinner in 
Fort Wayne. Stopped off at Warsaw and went to New Paris 
to visit my brother-in-law. Found him and family well, thank 
the Lord. Eve, heard Dr. Everitt lecture on phrenology. 

26. Was examined by Everitt and received a chart of charac- 
ter and instruction. I heard him deliver a course of lectures in 
my schoolroom in Corunna, Ind. the fall of 1865. He lectured in 
the evening on temperaments. Took notes. 

28. Put in the day viewing the great city of Chicago. Nearly 
all the burnt district is built again with enormous buildings. 
It is wonderful to think that for miles we can walk streets built 
up on either side with magnificent buildings of brick, stone, and 
marble, from three to nine stories high, iron fronts, etc., all built 
since the fire. It inspires the heart with wonder and admiration 
to behold externally and internally the enormous hotels Sherman, 
Palmer, Tremont, and Pacific, of which the latter is the largest. 
It covers one half block and is nine stories high. Passed through 
under Chicago River. Chicago is one of the wonders of the 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 69 

world, a great city. Visited one of the parks. I was much in- 
terested with all we saw. 

29. Sabbath. I preached in the evening from these words: 
"What do ye more than others?" Matt. 5:47. The day was 
pleasantly spent. Brother Shoemaker has spent nine years in 
trying to build up a Church ,of God here. Though the member- 
ship is yet small, we have a good church property and some 
good brethren here. I had the pleasure of seeing the wife, two 
sons, and one daughter of Elder John Winebrenner, who are 
members of the church here. 

30. Took train at 1 A. M. on Chicago, Burlington, and Quin- 
cy Railroad to Nebraska City. Crossed the Mississippi River. 

July 1, 1873. In A. M. took train for Danville, distance thir- 
teen miles. Stopped at Bro. R. H. Bolton's. Found all well. 

2. Enjoyed my visit very much with this lovely family. Re- 
ceived many useful hints from Brother B. concerning the West 
and the great missionary work. 

3. Daylight found us at Creston. From there to Red Oak 
the country is a beautiful rolling prairie. Very little is cultivated, 
all grass. At Red Oak took branch road southwest to Nebraska 
City through a beautiful prairie valley. Beautiful corn. At 
Hamburg, eleven miles k from Nebraska City, we came to a pecu- 
liarly formed bluff, high and sharp, from which we can see the 
city. Crossed the Missouri River at Nebraska City on the steamer 
Lizzie Campbell. The river was high and ran swiftly. 

4. This is a proud day for Americans, the anniversary of 
American independence. There was quite an interesting cele- 
bration in Nebraska City. Free dinner, band, thirty-seven 
young ladies dressed in white with badges bearing the names of 
the thirty-seven states, also the goddess of liberty. Judge Kin- 
ney delivered a good speech on the occasion. A great crowd 
of people were in attendance. The whole matter displayed skill 
and ingenuity in its design and execution. Arrived at Seward 
at 9:30 P. M. Walked out through the prairie two miles to 
Bro. William Anderson's. 

5. Visited Brother James Anderson. Walked across the coun- 
try. How sublime and beautiful the rolling prairie! There is a 
strong breeze here nearly all the time, which makes the summer 
pleasant and agreeable. The wind is from the east; a good part 
of the time it is from the southeast. 

6. Sabbath. At 4 P. M. I preached my first sermon in Ne- 
braska, in the Anderson Schoolhouse. Text, Isa. 62:6. 



70 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Here we have to pass over a period of eight months. 
It is unfortunate that we do not have all of the books, 
forming a continuous diary account. His notes written 
during his first winter on the Western plain would have 
been interesting. As it is, we have to pass over the fall 
and winter of 1873 and begin again in March, 1874,* 
By this time it seems that he had taken up a claim at 
Wayland, Polk County. The Advocate he refers to 
was the church paper, published at Harrisburg, of which 
he was a correspondent. This chapter includes a tempor- 
ary absence from the State, occasioned by his marriage 
and visit in Ohio, after which he returns with his help- 
meet to his Western field. His reference to Sarah, his 
bride-to-be, are, of course, full of tenderness. We shall 
give but brevities from the diary, omitting many of the 
details of sermons and texts, number converted, etc. The 
meetings first mentioned were held near Seward. 

Mar. 14, 1874. This is a rainy day, the first of any account 
since the 22nd of November. Wrote two articles for the Advo- 
cate and some letters. 

15. Sabbath. Preached at eleven on the second advent of 
Christ, two hours. Eve, Brother Robotham preached. 'Twas 
dry and dead enough to take all the life out of a meeting. I 
tried to exhort the people. Jesse Horton found peace to his 
soul. Thank God for the salvation of the old gray-headed sin- 
ner. Sister Anderson left her husband who sat by her side, and 
came to the altar in much earnest, seeking the Lord. This is a 
noble example. God bless the woman. I think her husband 
will follow. 

16. The air was damp today. Read Nelson on Infidelity. 
Prayed and meditated. Eve, had some headache, but thank God 
it did not grow worse and prevent my preaching, as it sometimes 

*Dr. Forney, in his History of the Churches of God, says of D. 
S. Warner's mission work in Nebraska, that in February, 1874, he 
organized a church at Fairmount, Fillmore County, of twenty-four 
members. Also one at Cropsey, one at Evergreen, one in the 
Anderson community, Seward County, of sixteen members, and one 
other. He had fourteen preaching places. 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 71 

does. The night was dark and damp. The congregation was 
much smaller than usual. Had good liberty. A number of young 
pe,ople were present, about all of whom were serious. 

17. Had prayer-meeting at schoolhouse. Came home and 
wrote a letter to my darling Sarah, then went to Seward. Re- 
ceived a letter from Brother Shuler, treasurer, with post-office 
order for fifty dollars. 

19. Day meeting at half past ten. P. M., mounted a horse 
and rode in company with Brother Figard to Mr. Pense's, two 
miles. Talked to them on the important subject of their souls' 
salvation. Returned with some headache. Was disappointed in 
not having some one else there to preach, as Brother Combs, 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, had promised to be there 
for the last two nights. Thank God, my headache abated and 
I spake with liberty on the text, "My Spirit shall not always 
strive with man." 

21. Started for Fillmore County. Stopped a few minutes at 
a store at Nickleville. Heard some poor sinners swearing hor- 
rible oaths. Oh, how my heart was pained to hear them thus 
insult the Author and Giver of all their blessings! Came to 
Brother Witter's. Found all well and faithful to their Savior. 
They were much joyed at my coming. The church has grown 
in grace and influence. 

22. Sabbath. Beautiful morn. Met at 10:30 A. M., heard 
a number of the brethren and sisters speak. Went to Indian 
Creek, where I had the pleasure of immersing the following 
[names nine persons]. It was a glorious time. All were happy. 
We felt that we were near heaven. At 3 P. M. started over to 
Brother Moffit's. Passed a pond of some ten acres on which 
were all of a thousand brants, a species of wild goose; they 
are white, except a black streak across their wings. Reached 
destination. Here are good prospects for gathering a church. 

23. Quite cold this morn; I have to drive about thirty-five 
miles against the wind. It was a hard day's ride. Came on to 
the meeting and found that the work had not progressed in my 
absence. I could not have remained, but now I have only two 
nights and we must if possible see some poor sinners saved be- 
fore I leave. God! in mercy hear us and bless our efforts. 

27. Had to go forty miles today to an appointment. Called 
on some of the brethren at Wayland. The day was cold. 

30. Last night I had a precious dream of meeting my angel 
love, Sarah. Oh, how happy I was to return to that kind family 



72 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

and my precious companion, from whom I have been so long 
separated, and with whom my soul longs to be! Now are only 
seven Sabbaths until I start. Oh, how our hearts yearn to be 
together! Lord, speed the time. Never did woman have purer and 
stronger love for man than that of my dearest Sarah for me — 
yes, even me. Lord, what a blessing thou hast here bestowed 
on thy unworthy servant! What a bliss to me, that I should 
thus be loved, and that, too, by the very creature that I would 
rather have love me than any fair female in all the world! 
Lord! this is thy doing and it is wonderful in our eyes. How 
happy I would be this morning were my beautiful, virtuous, and 
losing companion by my side! How hard it is to stay apart 
so long? God give grace and strength of mind to endure this 
torture of separation. 

Apr. 3, 1874. What a bright and beautiful morn! I am 
turrounded by beautiful scenery % The family live right on the 
bank of a stream, tributary to the Blue. The house sits on the 
edge of a bank about twenty feet on the north; on the south the 
stream making a loop comes around just far enough from the 
south side to make a nice little,' yard. To the east is a beautiful 
large yard. To the west is quite a picturesque scene; the stream, 
running very crooked, doubles around with but narrow, high 
banks between, and all covered with timber, some of the largest 
trees I have seen in the State, some oaks four feet across, yet 
not one of them enough to make a rail cut, branching out a 
few feet from the ground. The whole presents a romantic scene. 
Brother Querry settled here five years ago, when there were 
only a few families in the country. The settling up of the country 
has far surpassed in rapidity the wildest imagination. Bro. 
George Fellows and I went out on a hunt for prairie-chickens 
and wild geese. We went in the buggy, by which we can approach 
nearer to the chickens than otherwise. Had a few shots at wild 
geese but killed nothing. 

5. Sabbath. Easter. Bright, warm, and beautiful morning. 
Preached at eleven on the Church of God, diagramed on black- 
board. The truth was well received. There is a fine prospect for 
the Church of God. Dr. Stone who is no professor of religion but 
a thorough student of the Bible, and one whom I think will soon 
give himself to the Lord, is one with us in sentiment. Another 
good old Methodist Episcopal brother who preaches some sanc- 
tioned my sermon all through, even my strongest denunciation of 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 73 

creeds, sects, etc. Brother Stoner, a Disciple, was well pleased 
with the church but took exceptions to feet-washing, reception of 
the Spirit by faith before baptism, and the divine call to the 
ministry. He invited me home with him and we talked over the 
matter and he conceded my position on all these points. His 
companion before held with us on all these points. 

7. Came to Brother Hoffer's. Selected a place for my house 
and staked off a yard, etc. 

10. Wrote some letters. This was a warm and beautiful day. 
Oh, how lovely the spring after the long, cold winter; emblem 
of the time of the Lord's coming, the time of singing of birds! 
The turtle-dove is heard in the land, all t,o remind us of the 
Lord's coming. 

The approach of summer also gladdens my heart because 
it is bringing us near the happy time when I shall be joined in 
holy matrimony with the pure and warm-hearted Sarah, whose 
constant and ardent love is worth more to me than all the treas- 
ures and honor of earth. Could I hold converse with that bright 
luminary whose beams and gentle rays fall so graciously upon 
the earth today, I would ask if the revolving earth brought an- 
other creature under his shining light so pure, fair, and lovely as 
my own blessed Sarah. 

13. This morn is rainy. Drove to Wayland, fifteen miles, and 
then worked all day at my house. Bros. H. and M. Hoffer and 
Brother Berry had just got the lumber [hauled from Seward] on 
the ground and begun the work. We worked through the damp 
weather and got it finished, a stove up, and a bed by 10 P. M., 
when the brethren left, and I retired to sleep, the first night in 
my life in my own house and on my own land. Thank God for 
these blessings! May God help me to use it as not abusing it. 

14. Returned to my house and made a stand. P. M., went to 
Barber's, where I preached at night on the signs of the coming 
of Christ. Had a house full of very attentive hearers. Spoke two 
hours. All seemed highly interested. 

15. In the eve drove about seven miles over into York County 
and preached to a crowded house in the Parker Schoolhouse. 

16. Went to Mr. Mahaffey's and had a gO(od visit. He is 
a lawyer, a smart man, well informed in the Bible. Agrees with 
me on doctrine. He promised that he would give his heart to 
Jesus. Wishes to borrow some of my books to inform himself 
for the service of God. I pray God that he may be soundly 
converted and become useful. I had left no appointment, but 



74 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

several came together and begged me to leave another appoint- 
ment before going east. I never saw people more eager for the 
gospel than here. Many have fallen in love with the Church of 
God and desire me to form a church here. P. M., went home and 
worked some at my house. 

28. Drove to Bro. J. A. Mark's. The day passed off very 
pleasantly. Spent the time in meditation and singing praise to 
God. Drove about forty-five miles and reached destination about 
6 P. M. There seemed to be no fatigue to me nor to my steed, 
Mattie Blaze. The roads were beautiful and the day delightful. 
How balmy the air! There perhaps never was another such de- 
lightful country to travel in. Found no one at home at Brother 
Mark's. Put up Mattie Blaze, compromised with the big dog, 
Watch, and took possession of the house. Ere long the family 
came home, having been at a neighbor's. They were well and 
glad to see me. 

May 1, 1874. Came to Grand Island, in Hall County, about 
fifteen miles northwest of Brother Mark's. Found Bro. John 
Kramer and family well. They are a very fine people, firm in the 
principles of the Church of God. They have a beautiful place one 
and one fourth miles from the city. All that is wanting is a Church 
of God here. I feel sorry that they can not be supplied. But this is a 
hard place to do anything unless we have a house of worship. 
Brother K. could find no place in the city t,o have an appointment, 
so he has an appointment in his own house for Lord's day. 
Sectarian bigotry abounds here in the West; each sect, fearing 
the rottenness of its own foundation, is not willing to have it 
tried by the gospel. 

2. Wrote, read, meditated, and prayed in a pleasant room 
at Brother K's. How pleasant it is to have a place of solitary 
retirement, so seldom enjoyed in the small sod houses of this 
frontier country! This afternoon there was a good deal of excite- 
ment in Grand Island on the occasion of breaking ground for a 
new railroad, the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad. It is now 
in operation from St. Joseph to Hastings. Grand Island is beauti- 
fully situated on the Union Pacific Railroad and on the north side 
of Platte River. It has a bright prospect for a large city and 
important railroad center. 

3. Sabbath. Rainy in A. M., hence no preaching. Spent the 
day pleasantly with the kind Kramer family singing and talking 
on Scripture. 

5. Started this beautiful morn to Fillmore County. Took my 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 75 

dinner and fed Mattie Blaze on Sec. 12, Twp. 9, Range 6 W. 
Two miles east is the nicest railroad section I ever saw. I crossed 
the South Blue River in a beautiful grove, which was quite 
green. The place was so beautiful that I could not resist the 
temptation to stop in the shade by the cool stream. I wondered 
if I should ever have the pleasure of crossing through this beauti- 
ful grove with my lovely Sadie, who of course is always brought 
to my mind when I meet anything that is Lovely and beautiful, 
for she is the fairest and most lovely piece of God's creation. 

Two graceful ducks were swimming in the water. This as well 
as the cooing dove near by brought forcibly to my mind my be- 
loved, who is far away. The dove's cooing was an index to my 
heart, that longed to be with her, so dear to me. Even the beauti- 
ful stream suggested to me our two beings that were soon to 
blend fully into one to follow on in everlasting love, like two 
streams of water that mingle together and flow on in the same 
channel. 

These lines are being penned in this beautiful grove while many 
feathered songsters are singing their sweet songs over my head. 
Thank God for the beauties of nature and all that they have 
brought to my mind. 

6. Received a letter from Bro. J. A. Shuler, treasurer, with an 
order in my favor for fifty dollars. Thank the kind Lord and all 
who gave to this fund. 

8. Came to Indian Creek. Found all well and anxious for my 
coming. All seemed faithful. 

10. Sabbath. Sabbath-school at ten. Preached on Gen. 28: 
12, 13. A strange brother arose and said he would like to speak 
a few words. He remarked that for some time he had been search- 
ing for the truth and the old paths and that he precisely agreed 
with me that there is but one church, i. e., the church of God, so 
named by the mouth of the Lord, governed alone by the Word of 
God, including all who have the Spirit of Christ, by which they 
are baptized into the body, the church. The brother talks some 
to the people and accepted an invitation to preach in two weeks. 
Thank God for more laborers to contend for the truth. 

After this went to Indian Creek, where I had the great pleasure 
of immersing [names seven persons] . At last baptizing Brother 
Winters told me that he had been baptized by his parents when 
a child, and now they were dead and gone, and out of respect 
for them he would never be baptized again. I told him to read 
his Bible and see whether that satisfied the demands of God upon 



76 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

him. I further reminded him that religion was a personal matter. 
He acted upon these suggestions and the result was he was anxious 
to obey God. Oh how the commands of God are made void by 
the traditions of men! The baptizing was one of great interest. 
All were happy. Eve, had a good speaking-meeting. Some said 
it was the happiest day of their lives. Preached on the ordinances 
and had a heavenly time in observing them. Bade the brethren 
and sisters farewell. 

13. Was to have a breaking bee, but it rained all forenoon. 
P. M., worked on my claim. Eve, preached from Acts 20: 32. 
We got lost going home with Brother Hoffer. Got home by eleven. 
It was raining and very dark. 

18. Went to Seward in the morning. Spent the day prepar- 
ing for my journey. Eve, preached in Seward and returned home. 

19. The happy time has come at last that I start back to my 
beloved Sarah. May God's kind care be over me by the way. 
Took train at half-past nine at Seward. This is the morning 
I have been thinking about so long. The hard labor of another 
year is over. Since last July 4 preached one hundred and fifty- 
five sermons. 

20. Nebraska City. Visited a beautiful orchard of eighty 
acres. Am enjoying my visit much with Bro. John F. Kimmel 
and family. Took a pleasant ride. 

21. Today the Board of Missions meets in Chicago. Wish 
I could be there to report in person; but I sent out my report 
yesterday. At 7:20 P. M. started on my journey. Came via 
Hamburg, St. Joseph, and Kansas City, where I arrived at early 
daylight. 

22. Took the Missouri Pacific through the State of) Missouri. 

Train stopped for dinner at Jefferson City. Ran through tun- 
nels, under rocks. Many places the rocks stood a perpendicular 
wall one hundred feet on one side of the cars and on the other the 
Missouri River. Missouri in some parts seems to be a beautiful 
State; but taking it altogether it falls far short of Nebraska as 
an agricultural state. It is rather rough. Had three fourths of an 
hour in St. Louis. Purchased a suit for thirty-five dollars, also 
a small present for my beloved Sarah, a collar, $1.50, and cravat, 
$1.50. Took train on Toledo, Wabash, and Western at 7 P. M. 
Crossed the Mississippi on a transfer boat near the great iron 
bridge, which is a wonderful structure. Took sleeping-car and 
lay down with a heart full of gratitude to God for his protection 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 77 

through the dangers of the day and humbly entreating his care 
through the night. 

23. Reached Fort Wayne at 7 A. M. Staid over till 12: 30 
P. M. Then came on with a light heart. Arrived at Upper San- 
dusky at 4:50 P. M. Rode out to Brother Keller's with Brother 
Hoffman. And now the long contemplated time of meeting my 
beloved Sarah has come at last. Thank the kind Lord for his 
care and protection over us through these eleven long months 
that we have been so far, far apart. 

This eve went to see Father Shriner, who is nearing the other 
shore to dwell with the spirits made perfect. Had a season of 
prayer. Returned with Brother Keller. 

25. Father Shriner died at 4 A. M. yesterday, and at 1 1 A. 
M. today Brother Small preached the funeral, followed by Brother 
Updike and me. It was a very large funeral. Father S. was an 
upright and godly man, firmly devoted to truth and right. Well 
do I remember words that fell from his lips some four years ago 
when, during his report, he remarked: "Brethren, I have always 
tried to maintain a ministerial character," These words, backed 
up by his exemplary life, had a great meaning and made a deep 
impression on my mind. They inspired me with new determination 
to live out the same character by the grace of God. 

26. Spent the day pleasantly at Brother Keller's. Oh, how 
happy I am to have the blessed company of my dearly beloved 
Sadie ! Surely I should be a happy and grateful man, having such 
a rich treasure. 

28. Took train for Crestline, where I am now writing these 
lines, waiting for the train to Shelby. But here it comes! 
Twelve o'clock, aboard the train. Oh, how convenient to the 
great cause of God is the railroad! Reached Daniel Baker's, 
at Shelby, at 1 P. M. We were happy to meet again. 

Nearly one year has passed since my last visit here in company 
with Bro. J. L. Jenner, who is now in eternity. Poor fellow, he 
became insane last April and on the 25th cut his throat and ab- 
domen, from the effects of which he died some days later. From 
the best information I could get his mind was overcome by an 
unwillingness to preach the whole gospel of God, through a de- 
sire to gain the applause of man. As ministers of God we should 
take warning and fill our high calling in the fear of God. 

29. Came to W. Auburn, where I met many of the dear breth- 
ren beloved as children. Preached from Psa. 144:15. How 
happy and grateful I am to meet with these beloved people! 



78 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

30. This morn I went up into my old room at Bro. Peter 
Wright's and looked over all my mementos of my dear departed 
companion and sonny. 

31. Sabbath. Had a good speaking-meeting. Preached on 
the signs of the coming of Christ. The house was crowded. Eve, 
Brother Awkerman preached on the ordinances, after which we 
had a happy time in obeying them. Human language can not 
express my joy. 

June 3, 1874. Yesterday and today the women were busily 
engaged in preparations for our wedding. 

4. This is the happy day to which my mind has so often 
soared ahead of time to embrace in sweet anticipation. Thank 
God that the onward flight of time has brought the day in which 
my angel Sarah and I shall be joined in holy wedlock. I was 
out early to breathe the balmy air. At the rising of the sun there 
was a heavy fog which all disappeared in a very short time, leav- 
ing the morning bright and lovely. All nature seemed cheerful. 
Never have I heard the birds sing so sweet and melodious as this 
morn in the woods over the way from Father Keller's brick far- 
mer's home. It seemed that the dear little feathered songsters 
were congratulating me for the rich fortune the day brings to me. 
Went to Upper Sandusky in the morning. Weather hot. [Here 
he mentions a list of the guests from Auburn, Tiffin, and else- 
where.] At four the ceremony was performed, Brother Burchard 
officiating. Brother and Sister Tomlinson groomsman and 
groomsmaid. All passed off pleasantly. Received many warm 
congratulations, after which we proceeded to partake of the rich 
preparations in the dining room. 

The evening was pleasantly spent sitting in the cool shade on 
the east of the house. Now a new leaf is turned, a new era be- 
gun, in the history of my life. O Lord, how can I thank thee 
enough for the great gift of my own pure, amiable, fair, and lovely 
Sarah! May God assist me tp make her life happy as far as it 
is in the power of man to do so. God bless our union and make 
us together happy and useful. 

5. This morning still bright and clear. We started for Brother 
Wright's. Stopped at noon at Bucyrus. Reached my old home 
at W — 's about four. Our arrival was greeted with ringing bells 
and cheers from the boys. A rich infare supper was prepared. 
The evening was pleasantly spent singing and with music from two 
violins by Brothers Alvin Burch and Burchard. 

7. Sabbath. Good speaking-meeting in the grove [near New 




Sarah (Keller) Warner 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 79 

Washington]. Preached on baptism. After speaking one hour a 
small storm arose, which threw the congregation into confusion. 
We dismissed the people to meet at three by the side of the Mau- 
mee River. There being a grove there I proceeded to finish my 
discourse and spake about an hour, after which I baptized the 
following ten [names omitted] . Eve, I spoke on the washing of 
the saints' feet, after which observed the same. This was a good 
meeting. About a thousand people were present. 

8. Took train for Bryan, where we were met by my brother, 
who conveyed us to my parents, in Bridgewater township, Williams 
Co. Thank God for a safe return to my parents once more. 

11. Visited Brother Joseph. Eve, we took a walk to a beau- 
tiful cemetery on my brother's place. A new grave was there 
that awoke a train of interesting thoughts to my mind. It was 
the resting-place of Frances Stocking. She was the object of 
my affections and attentions at the time I gave my heart to 
God (February, 1865). She was handsome and accomplished, 
having a very strong mind and good education. Her father 
was skeptical, and the dire disease was transmitted to Frank 
and I think the whole family. Having talked matrimony to- 
gether and supposing she and I had the proper affections, I 
supposed it my duty to marry her notwithstanding her infi- 
delity and her rapidly failing health. Out of sympathy for 
her suffering, which she claimed would be removed by marriage, 
I pledged her my heart and hand. But I asked to defer 
our marriage until I pursued my studies a few years. Ere 
many months had passed I began to doubt the existence of 
the proper elements of union in our case. I took the matter to 
the Lord and was s,oon confirmed in the belief that our mar- 
riage was not ordained of God. Our attachments grew weaker 
and soon correspondence ceased and she became married to 
a rough young man by the name of Baker. They moved to 
the West, ere long parted, and she came back a year ago. 
When at home I learned that she was a spiritualist and by 
spells was crazy, in which condition she was hurried to the 
grave, a poor wreck, morally, mentally, and physically. 

17. Passed once more the old school-house where I gave 
my heart to God (February, 1865). Thank God for that step. 
Oh how glad I am that it was ever my lot to become a Christian ! 
A beautiful house of worship stands near the place, belonging 
to the Church of God. 

25. This is my birthday. Thirty-two years have passed 



80 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

over my head. How the time has flown! Oh God! blot out 
of my past years all that is wrong and help me give all that 
remain to thee and thy cause. 

July 8, 1874. This is my dear Sarah's birthday. She is 
nineteen years of age. 

24. Bro. Lewis Williams took us and our goods to New 
Washington. Had a good talk at the depot with Brother A — . 
He seemed very much dissatisfied with my having organized a 
church in Upper Sandusky. Intimated that it would make me 
trouble. Oh that God would save his preachers from envy and 
vindictive cruelty in biting and devouring each other! What- 
ever the Eldership may do in my case, I am certain that I did 
what I have done through pure motives to the glory of God, 
for the good of his cause, and I believe with his approbation. 

30. This morn went to West Unity, thence to Father John 
Kerr's in Fulton County. Eve, went to prayer-meeting. Heard 
a good number of my scholars testify for Jesus, thank God. 
Meeting was led by Bro. G. W. Dustin, who is a noble young 
man. Since he attended my school, I have felt impressed that 
God desired to make a minister out of him. I pray that God 
may lead him into all truth. 

August 11, 1874. Father, Mother and Brother Joseph 
brought us to Bryan. Bade farewell to the friends once again. 
Reached Goshen about four. Found Mr. Guiss, my brother-in- 
law. Reached his home in New Paris about dusk. My sister's 
health is poor. 

15. Preached in New Paris from Matt. 24:3. Four young 
brethren and two sisters were there from Syracuse. 

16. Brother Keller came after us early this morning to con- 
vey us out to Syracuse, where I preached at 10:30 A. M.; 
Psa. 144:15. Went home with Charles 'Strombeck, whosfc 
companion is sick. Prayed for her. She seemed strengthened. 
Four brethren each put a dollar into my hand. Returned to 
town. Eve, preached on Ezek. 43 : 1 0, 1 1 . Diagramed on the 
board. House full. A collection was taken up for me. Never 
did I find such overabundant kind and benevolent people. They 
seem as near to me as though I had preached for years in 
their midst. God will surely bless them and greatly reward 
their kind liberality. 

17. Took train at 10:20 A. M., reached Elkhart at eleven, 
laid over until 4:13 P. M. Reached Chicago 8 P. M.; Brother 
Shoemaker met us at the train and conducted us to his house. 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 81 

18. In company with Brother S., visited the scene of the 
late fire. Visited the great water-works, also the exposition 
building, the largest building I was ever in. Walked through 
the tunnel and visited the Union, Michigan, and Jefferson Parks, 
where was much of interest. Traveled by street-car and on foot 
about ten miles. Took train on the Burlington at 10 P. M. 

19. Reached Red Oak, Iowa, 7 P. M. Put up at the 
Tremont House. A lady was shot in the place tonight by 
one whom she had opposed as a suitor for her daughter. 
Four balls were fired, some of which took effect in the neck. 
She may possibly recover. The assassin was arrested and 
confined. 

20. Took train for Nebraska City. Western Iowa is beauti- 
ful; Sarah much admires it. Reached the Missouri River at 
ten, and Brother KimmeFs in Nebraska City at eleven. Took 
train for Seward. The country looks beautiful. One thing 
strikes the mind as different from Iowa and Illinois, and that 
is the great abundance of wheat on this side of the Missouri 
River. Corn is raised in abundance in those States; but little 
proportionately is raised here, and will be almost an entire 
failure this year owing to the drought and grasshoppers. As 
soon as we crossed the Missouri we landed among swarms of 
those insects. Landed safely at Seward at 10 P. M. Thank 
God for his kind care over us, permitting us safely to return to 
my field of labor. 

21. This morning Sarah and I walked over the prairie two 
miles to Bro. William Anderson's. 

22. P. M., we went out to visit a colony of prairie-dogs. 
Eve, preached from 2 Pet. 1 :3. 

24. Went to Seward, Wife and I and Bro. J. W. K— . He 
leaves on the train this morn for Ohio to take a wife, a dear 
sister, Eliza T — , who was converted under my labors and is 
a special friend of mine. About a year ago I introduced them 
to each other, since which time they have corresponded and 
now have pledged themselves to live in unison for life. I 
pray God that their union may result in unbroken happiness 
and usefulness. 

26. Wife and I came to Polk County. Wife is pleased with 
the home, but fears we shall not be able to build. I pray God 
he may send help from some source. 

29. Drove about tweny-three miles, to Fillmore. Preached 
in the old sod schoolhouse. The brethren and sisters were glad 



82 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

to see me, as I also was to see them. Brother Grigg has been 
preaching for them during my absence. He does well and is 
sound in the Scriptures. I am glad that I found him out be- 
fore I left. 

31. At 3 P. M. started for Seward County, thirty-eight 
miles. At sunset stopped and ate our supper by the way. 
Turned out Mattie Blaze to pick grass. Then came on. The 
curtains of night were soon thrown about us. It was cloudy, 
and not being able to see my guiding stars we lost our way. 
When I discovered the north star we traveled some distance 
by it with no road at all. We went several miles out of our 
way and landed at Bro. J. Anderson's after twelve. 

Sept 4, 1874. Drove twenty-six miles to Polk County. 

5. Went over to our house and found our goods; Brother 
Fox had brought them from Seward. Found everything all 
right. Read in the Testament. Finished it today. Had finished 
and re-commenced it last Thanksgiving Day. Oh, that I had 
more time, and would better improve in the future what I have, 
to read the precious Bible! 

10. Started to York Center. Rained. Turned in to Bro. 
Samuel Marble's. No one at home. Soon he came. Left us 
in search of his wife. Did not find her till between three and 
four. We spent the time pleasantly in his old dugout. Instead 
of being lonesome it was pleasant to be found alone — even 
in an old wet dugout and on a dreary day. It appeared like 
a small taste of the bliss that a home of our own would yield 
us. The greatest difficulty was something to eat. Plums were 
plentiful, else we could find nothing. When they returned they 
felt very bad that they happened to be away from home. They 
spared no pains to make us welcome and comfortable. Sup- 
per was served, after which the rain and darkening shades of 
night prevented our return. 

12. Sabbath. Started early for Polk County. Received 
some letters, one from Father and Mother Keller. All are 
well but seem to have no sympathy for us here on the frontier, 
not even a disposition to do justice by us. Lord, forgive them. 
We will suffer all things for thy sake. God, my heart is 
bruised and crushed! We seem to meet with no sympathy 
from friends or brethren. Many have grown cold. Brothers 
H — and — would not go to meeting. Went on to the Bense 
Schoolhouse. Preaching time, but no one there. Two neigh- 
bors came, no member of the Church of God. Lord, the 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 83 

waves are rolling over me! All things against us. Some are 
offended because we will not recognize the devil's secret gods 
with which they have been polluted. Others are backslidden. 
Lord, the troubles of my heart are enlarged! It is more than 
I can bear. I can not restrain my grief for the desolation of 
Zion. The people are now gathering, but my tears prevent the 
reading of a hymn. Companion and a few brothers and sisters 
shed their tears with me. 

14. Wrote for Advocate. 

15. Sister Berry, Sarah, and I went to Lincoln Crejek, 
Got tub of plums. 

18. Tried to get lumber on time, but could not. Felt very 
much cast down. No money yet from the Board. Friends in 
the East have no sympathy for us. Brethren here have no 
means. Winter is coming on soon and no home for my dear 
Sarah and me! With a heavy heart we started out to Bro. 
J. H. Anderson's. Heard he was not at home. Went on to 
Brother Green's. As soon as he found I could not build they 
kindly invited us to move into their north room, which is a 
pleasant room with bed-room above and cellar privileges. 
Thanks be unto God! Behind a frowning providence, he hides 
a smiling face. 

19. Sabbath. Eve, preached at the Osborne Schoolhouse, 
up Lincoln Creek, a new point. Stayed at Mr. — 's, who is a 
Campbellite. Had some talk, but a few Scriptures silenced 
his doctrine. 

20. Gathered some grapes for Sarah. Came home to 
Brother Green's. 

21. Sarah and I went to Polk County. 

22. Spent in our house preparing to take things back to 
Brother Green's, Seward County. Sarah and I slept in our 
house all night. 

23. Staid all day again at house. Bro. J. W. Figarid 
came to take our things. 

27. Came to Seward County, Brother Green's. Stopped 
at noon in the timber of the Blue River. 

Oct. 1, 1874. Eldership meets in West Ohio. May God 
bless their deliberations. Worked till noon. At 3:15 P. M. 
started for York County, twenty-six miles. Could not reach it. 
Stopped at Brother Everett's. 

3. About this time the West Ohio Eldership has passed 
through another session. I now begin another year's work. 



84 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

5. Drove home. Found my dear companion well. How 
happy we are to be alone this eve in our little home! How 
sweet the home where love reigns! Oh the love that unites 
our hearts! How pure and strong, and still increasing! How 
happy I am! How blessed and favored! 

6. Worked at cupboard and helped my dear wash. 

7. Provided and arranged things for wife. Dear creature 
wept this morn that I had to be away again so soon and long. 

9. Came to Brother Berry's [Polk County]. P. M., in my 
house. Wrote some letters. Preached in the Bense School- 
house, 2 Pet. 2: 11-14. Staid in my house tonight. 

10. Visited and talked with nearly all the members of the 
church. Many are cold and indifferent. Many have strife 
and bickerings. Oh shame! Great God, save this church, of 
whose piety and devotion I have so often boasted. Some 
are spiteful at me because I touched the god of this world. 
Brother Mc — raved and foamed .over at me. God pity and 
forgive the poor graceless man. Thank God for grace to endure 
unruffled his abuse. Staid all night in my house. 

12. Started for home, anxious, to see my blessed wife. 
This is the longest we have been apart since our marriage — five 
days. How long the time seems to me, notwithstanding I have 
been very busy! How lonely she must be! God bless her. 
Came by way of Seward. Dear Sarah had been way out on 
the prairie waiting for me. 

20. Started for the Oliver Schoolhouse, about twelve and 
one half miles to the northwest. Dear wife felt so bad to see 
me leave. The dear creature wept bitterly. Oh, how it pained 
my heart to leave her feeling so sad! Green's folks were absent, 
which made it more lonely. God, must I tear myself away 
from the dear wife bathed in tears? But 'tis the cause of Christ 
and I must go. Lord, comfort her loving heart. 

24. Started for Fillmore County. Drove against a very 
heavy wind. 

25. Sabbath. At II A. M. preached, Psa. 48:14. The old 
sod was full of hearers. 

26. Drove to Brothers . . . and gathered quite a good load 
of vegetables and feed that these good brethren gave us. Came 
to Brother Weeter's, where the donation was increased and 
Brother W. having business at Seward hauled it over for us. 
God bless these kind people. I fed and ate my dinner on the 
Blue River. Reached home 3 P. M., found dear wife well. 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 85 

31. Spent the day at Brothers M — and B — *s. Busy study- 
ing sermon. Eve, preached on Isa. 9:6; 7. Studied till twelve 
at night on sermon for Sabbath eve. 

Nov. 1, 1874. Sabbath. This morn arose early and pre- 
pared a sermon on the subject of the Sabbath. 

2. At three started home. Arrived at dark. Dear wife 
was very lonesome and almost despaired of my coming home 
that day. Thank God, we are blessed with a home and a thou- 
sand domestic comforts. Oh what a blessing is home when 
illuminated with the pure love of an affectionate companion! 

3. Went to Seward, where were two barrels of apples sent 
to me by a kind friend in Ohio. May the Lord bless his soul 
and reward him. He not only donated the apples but paid 
one dollar for the barrels and $1.25 freight to Chicago. The 
cost here was $4.20. Not having the money to lift them we 
let Brother Anderson have one barrel to lift them for us. 

6. At 1 1 A. M., started for Crete. Stopped in a deep draw 
at 1 P. M. to feed Mattie Blaze and eat our dinner. Sarah 
and I ate a whole chicken, some bread and butter, and finished 
off with an apple apiece. Went via Milford and Camden. 
Passed through a very large colony of prairie-dogs. Enjoyed 
a leisure visit among this brisk and numerous little folk. 

7. Was glad to meet our dear and esteemed old Brother 
Moore, of whom I had heard so much. He is a very intelligent 
old pilgrim, greatly in love with the doctrines of the Church of 
God. It was through his earnest appeals that missionaries were 
sent to this part of Nebraska. At 4 P. M. we met in the Bethel 
to take the preliminary steps to the formation of an Eldership 
in Nebraska. Organized by the election of Bro. K. A. Moore 
speaker and Brother McElwee and myself clerks. 

9. Met at 9 A. M. for business. The day was passed off 
very pleasantly. Love seasoned all our deliberations. Accord- 
ing to committee on program, I delivered a discourse on church 
polity. Missionaries reported, and other business transacted. 
Closed by a touching speech from Brother Moore and prayer 
by me. The meeting was very edifying to us all and greatly 
strengthened the brotherly ties. 

10. Met early this morning in the Bethel for a social meet- 
ing. Good time. Brother Moore left us for home. God bless 
the old pilgrim and spare his life yet many years to bless his 
cause. Brother McE. and I spent the day in transcribing the 
minutes of the Eldership. 



86 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

I preached in the Bethel, 1 Chron. 29: 5. God blessed my 
soul. This afternoon I had a special season of secret prayer 
and communion with my God. Oh how near he came to his 
poor servant! This eve I was unusually blessed in presenting 
the thoughts he had given me on the text, "And who then is 
willing to consecrate his service this day to the Lord?" A deep 
interest prevailed. A Mr. B — living six miles from town went 
home with an arrow in his heart. I expect to hear of his early 
conversion. 

13. Made out program for Ministerial Association to be held 
next spring in Seward. 

14. Came home. Pretty cold. Captured a wild duck which 
had its wing broken that day by some hunter. Reached home 
at nearly dusk. 

15. ... This was an earnest day's work. I pray God 
that it may bring forth fruit to his glory. 

Dec. 25, 1874. This is Christmas. At eleven preached on 
the incarnation of Christ. Returned to Bro. M. Hoffer's, where 
the kindred, companion, and I partook of a good feast. Roasted 
fowls. All passed off pleasantly and in a Christian manner. 
I was solemn and meditative. We sang some. Eve, spoke on 
John 14:23. With solemn and feeling hearts and minds per- 
formed the (Ordinances of feet-washing and the Lord's Supper. 

27. Sabbath. I preached about two hours on the immor- 
tality of man. Read twenty-three Scriptures speaking of the 
Spirit and twelve of the soul, all positively declaring the spirit- 
uality of man's nature. Also several places proving that the 
soul came forth from the body at death and is as much more 
important than the body as the man is than the tent in which he 
lives. Proved also the conscious existence of a soul in an in- 
termediate state. When through, Mr. K — , a poor silly Adventist, 
harangued some moments. How confused the wretched Advent- 
ist cjoctrine! 

Jan. 1, 1875. Another year has rolled into eternity. God is 
still favoring us with his kind care and preservation. Oh, how 
many souls are in eternity today who with light hearts enjoyed 
friendly greetings and sumptuous festivities a year ago today! 
Some, alas, we fear, have been "cut down out of time," who 
had no Christ in the soul. Oh, what a mockery are all the 
pleasures of the wicked! True and warm hearts wished them 
a happy New Year one year ago today; but alas, their sins have 
made it the year of their doom to eternal misery. God! give 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 87 

us grace to enable us to spend our years to thy glory. Com- 
panion and I spent the day very pleasantly in Seward with . . . 
The two ladies are sisters, and old friends and acquaintances 
of Ohio. They had a sumptuous feast. We sang a few hymns, 
read a chapter, and knelt in prayer to our Father in heaven. 
Then came home. 

2. Took Sarah to Brother Anderson's and started to visit 
the church in Fillmore County, a distance of about thirty miles. 
Stopped in Nickleville and fed Mattie Blaze. Warmed and ate 
my dinner in a store. Reached Brother Weeter's a little after 
dark. The brother was gone and I was so cold I could hardly 
put my pony away. Sister W. soon got me some supper, and 
after eating hastily I set out afoot one and one half miles to the 
schoolhouse. Found three brethren there. No light. Gave 
them a short discourse from Heb. 10:35. 

3. Sabbath. Some brethren tried for two hours to get the 
old sod schoolhouse warm, but the stove was so poor they failed. 
They then came up to Brother Horton's. where I spoke to a 
little band of brethren and sisters from Heb. 9:16,17. Started 
for Brother Momtt's. Quite cold and stormy. Stopped at Bro. 
P. H. Griggs. Talked till a late hour on Scripture. The brother 
is troubled with the no-organization doctrine advocated by John- 
son, editor of the Stumbling Stone. The brother confessed 
that elders and deacons are authorized in the New Testament 
as the completion of the local organizations, and in short the 
polity of the Church of God is Bible. 

5. Went to Seward. Got coal and a box sent by Father 
and Mother Keller. 

7. Helped Wife wash. Read Moral Philosophy. 

8. Made apple butter of the frozen apples in the box sent 
by father-in-law. 

9. Very stormy and cold. Improved the time in mental and 
religious improvement. 

10. Sabbath. Strange to find myself at home with no ap- 
pointment. Meditated what to do. Having appointments here 
a week from today, I concluded not to go this week to York 
County, but hoping we would be favored with good weather I 
dispatched Brother Green to circulate appointments for tonight 
and during the week at Occidental. Eve, pretty good turnout. 

18. Helped Wife wash. Read and wrote. Devotion was 
sweet and precious this morn. 

19. At 12:45 P. M. started for York County, about twenty- 



88 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

six miles. Reached destination at 6 P. M. Small turnout. 

21. This morn realized a precious nearness of Christ in 
family worship. Spent two hours in private room reading 
Testament and in prayer and meditation. It was a precious 
season. 

25. Praise God for the great triumphs in his cause! I am 
spending many hours on my knees praising God and imploring 
mercy for sinners. What a glorious work! 

27. Started for home. Dear Wife was much cast down owing 
to my stay being longer than I had intended. Dear affectionate 
creature! My absence seems to rob her of all the happiness 
of life. It would be none the less the case with me were it not for 
the absorbing cause of God during my absence. 

29. Strong wind from the west, and not feeling well I did 
not go to York County. Read and wrote* 

30. Quite stormy. Can not go to the meeting today. Spent 
the day in reading and writing, prayer and meditation. 

Feb. 12, 1875. Wife, I and [names several others] went to 
visit about two hundred Omahas, camped on the Blue two miles 
from Seward. They were on their return from their winter's hunt. 
Were well-laden with robes and furs. It was an interesting visit. 
The squaws were busily engaged in dressing and tanning buffalo 
robes; the men stood and looked on. Poor creatures! They 
seemed to be but servants for the men. How wrong and cruel 
such a custom! We went into their wigwams; but few could, or 
at least would, speak English. The little papooses were) amusing 
themselves by loading each other down with bundles of weeds, 
etc., in imitation of their pack-ponies. They also had a tent 
constructed out of blankets. One girl about twelve had a little 
papoose but a few weeks old tied on a board and hung on her 
back. Sometimes she would lay it down face up in the sun, 
other times she had it on her back engaged in play with other 
children. I could see a marked improvement in the rising gen- 
eration in the moral and intellectual organs. Their more fre- 
quent contact with white people and a general tendency to im- 
provement in the tribe renders the children far superior to their 
parents. Some I noticed were as well constituted as many white 
children. One boy of about thirteen could spell quite well. 
May the kind providence of God yet elevate this poor distressed 
people to a higher plane of intellectual, moral, and religious 
enjoyment. The Omahas are among our most honorable and 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 89 

refined tribes. Bought a fine robe for ten dollars. Cost in Ohio 
about nineteen. 

16. Brother Mc. and I came to the Oliver Schoolhouse. It 
was nearly enough to break my blessed wife's heart to have me 
leave her. Oh Lord, comfort her heart! Were it not that "ne- 
cessity is laid upon me," I could not leave her. House nearly 
full. Psa. 85:6-8. Came home with friend Mitchel. Turned cold. 

17. The house being a small shell, I suffered much last night 
with cold. Arose and got overcoat. Fared some better but ached 
much and slept little. Spent the day till 4 P. M. at! Mr. M's. 
Talked much on religion. He acknowledged that he always read 
the Bible to condemn religion till I preached here last fall. 
He is not convicted. Hope he will soon yield to God. 

18. I find that I have taken a severe cold from my cold 
night's lodging. After dinner examined Brother Hibbard's head. 
A meeting two and one half miles south has been in progress 
some over two weeks and for a few nights there has been some 
interest, hence I must go there. 

21. Sabbath. Had good speaking-meeting. Preached on Jer. 
6:16. Was sent for to visit a sin-sick soul one and one half miles 
south. Brother Oliver and I went, found him, Bro. John Cowan, 
scarcely able to be up, in great distress of mind. We read the 
Word, talked, sang, and prayed until God blessed his soul, and 
we all rejoiced. His mother shouted and anon praised God for 
"Winebrennerian religion," declaring it was the old kind and as 
good as Methodist Episcopal or any other. It was amusing to 
see them all come down from deep-rooted prejudices. The broth- 
er's feet and ankle-bones having received strength, and he having 
eaten some, came with us to meeting. 

22. Had family prayer-meeting at 11 A. M. Examined 
Brother Mitchell and gave him a phrenological chart. 

23. Stormy. A few of us met for prayer. Staid all day 
at Brother Hibbard's. N,o meeting. Oh how I longed to be with 
blessed companion this dreary day and night! Through the 
night I spent hours listening to the muttering storm. Recalled 
all the draws between there and home, wondered if any were 
filled so as to be impassable. Determined to go home the next day 
if the driving snow would allow me to see three rods. 

24. Morning came and the storm nearly subsided. Started 
for home. Mattie Blaze got into a snow drift in which she 
could not reach the ground. Could not go through. Had to get 
out and get her loose from the buggy. Took her to Brother 



90 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Hafer's, nearby. Warmed myself, then drew the buggy back, 
hitched up, and dr,ove out another way. Got home all right. 
Saw Sarah's smiling face. Thank God, the dear creature is well. 

March. 2, 1875. We had a glorious day meeting. How my 
heart leaped with joy to see my beloved Brother Anderson 
reclaimed again! He has been a special object of my prayers. 
He is a brother I dearly love. 

5. Good day meeting. Brother Briggs related how his little 
step-daughter was blessed here yesterday. "She told her mother 
that she felt the Spirit of God knocking at her heart. Then 
Brother Warner came and took her by the hand and said, 'Give 
your heart to Jesus,' and she said to Jesus, 'Take my heart.' 
Then she felt so happy. She got up and spoke like a little soldier." 
Sister Anderson also told of her little girl's singing Good News 
Gone to Canaan last eve and she got happy and clapped her 
hands for joy. 

9. Went home with Bro. James A — . Tried to show the do- 
mestic duties of religion. It is a delicate task, but the shepherd of- 
ten finds families that need plain talk on duties to each other and 
to God; in the family. Religion should find its most sacred altar 
in the family circle. There should its holy affections glow with 
the greatest warmth. If religion in all its tender affections and 
holy fruits does not burn on the family altar, the world will 
fail to see its light. God bless this family. 

10. Last night and today a terrible cloud rested on us all. 
We felt as though the devil had triumphed somewhere. 

11. Staid at home. Read and prayed. Felt much de- 
pressed. Something is wrong. Satan has a victory somewhere. 

12. The dark cloud, thank God, is passing. Find what the 
difficulty has been. Some of the young men who have been at 
the altar have been loafing and visiting saloons. Last night 
after meeting Sister Rebecca Anderson told them of their in- 
consistency, which I think has broken the devil's chain, hence 
we had a good meeting today. 

14. Sabbath. Preaching at 11:30 A. M. Eph. 3:14,15. 
Proved the oneness pf Christians ; the fact that this oneness is not 
manifest to the world; that it should be; and how. After preach- 
ing Brother S — got up and harangued in favor of sects. He said 
I had doubt of my sincerity. He believed I was a true Christian 
if there was one in the world, but what I had preached got him 
down in the heels. He made no attempt to prove nor even assert 
that I had preached anything false. In fact, he never called up 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 91 

the question whether I had preached truth or not, only that my 
preaching made him and others feel bad. I told him that I had 
no doubt of it, for Paul had told us long ago that the time would 
come when men would not endure sound doctrine. Told him that 
I sympathized very much with him, that I had been in the same 
dread dilemma when I was not willing to accept the whole truth ; 
it always hurt me to hear it. In answer to questions I made 
him acknowledge to the truth of all that I had preached before 
the congregation. After meeting, Brother B — , another poor 
sectarianized soul, pitched intp me. The people crowded around. 
I made him confess that Paul forbade Christians at Corinth to 
divide into sects. Brother Riley, a fine man recently converted, 
seemed highly elated to hear the glorious doctrine of the Word 
defended. He will soon come into fellowship with the church. 

Bro. Lewis Anderson, who has enjoyed the meeting very much, 
staid away today and tonight. How fearful is a disturbed 
conscience! Brother Hafer, who is a good man filled with the 
Spirit, remarked a few days ago to Brother Houck that we were 
having a good meeting but he feared Bi other Warner would 
spoil the good feeling by preaching on the church. 
Brother H. told him that he need have no fears. If Brother W. 
preached the truth, it should not hurt a Christian; if error, 
it is too weak to hurt anything. He advised him to come 
and hear for himself. He did s,o, sat with his head down, 
doubtless felt the force of truth but was too honest to trifle 
with it; confessed that I had preached nothing but Bible. Oh 
that the world were freed from the curse of human creeds, 
that men could be at liberty to obey God! We had a good and 
pleasant meeting. My heart flowed with peace. 

18. Dear Sarah very sick most of the afternoon. [Confine- 
ment]. I too felt nearly overcome at her suffering. Had a 
season of prayer and was much comforted. Had the assurance 
that she would get along well from this time. She was no 
more so sick. At 6 P. M. the Lord delivered her of a large 
daughter, 8 pounds. Thank God for his goodness! 

And now, Lord! another sacred charge is committed 
to our trust. This day we acknowledge new responsibilities 
laid upon us. Thou hast committed to our care a pure and 
spotless soul. Give us grace and wisdom that we may bring up 
this dear child sound in body and mind, pure and innocent in 
heart and life, that thou, God, its Maker, may be honored and 
glorified by its life and career on earth. God! thou author of its 



92 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

being, this night I bow before thy throne and consecrate this pre- 
cious household gem to thee. Thou hast given it to us, and we wait 
not for one sun to pass over its head until we lay it upon the 
altar of consecration to God, that all its days may be thine. 
God! we solemnly vow to rear this child for thee. Shouldst 
thou see fit to leave it to grow up under our care, we shall bless 
thee for its angelic society; and shouldst thou rather choose 
to take it to thyself in the dewy time of youth, Lord! we 
can not murmur; for thine it is and only entrusted to our care 
till it seemeth good for thee to commit it to wiser and more 
worthy care in a more congenial abode than this dreary, sinful 
earth. God bless the dear little creature! 

19. Took care of dear Wife. 

20. After taking care of Wife and child, went to Seward. 
When starting home Mattie Blaze stumbled, fell, and broke one 
of the shafts. Took buggy back to shop, left it, and rode home. 
Eve, preached at Occidental, returned at eleven greatly exhausted. 
Great weakness of back from stooping continually over the bed 
taking care of dear Wife and babe. 

23. Sarah feeling rather worse. P. M, went to Seward. 
Have taken a bad cold, being up so much of nights. 

25. Am constantly taking care of dear Wife and child. They 
are getting along fine, thank God. Quite warm. Birds are 
singing. Summer appears; nature is awakening from her 
long winter slumbers. 

27. For some days I have had a severe conflict in my mind 
concerning my leaving to fill appointments in Fillmore County. 
Twas hard to think of leaving dear Wife yet confined to her 
bed, as our girl has made no attempts to take care of her or 
child because I preferred to do it and she had no experience. 
Hard as it seemed for dear Wife, duty seemed all along to 
say I should go. I determined to do so. Preparations were 
made to go, but when the moment was at hand Wife wept, and 
fearing a want of care and too much anxiety might bring on 
a relapse I felt it my solemn duty to stay and take care of her. 
P. M, went to Seward and tried to get a place to preach 
Sabbath eve, feeling that I dare not spend the Lord's day 
without doing something for Christ; but I failed to get a 
place to preach. 

28. This is Easter Day. Spent the day in solitude with 
dear Wife and daughter. Wife feeling pretty well; sat up 
much of the day for the first except a short time yesterday. 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 93 

Think this is the second Sabbath in eight years that I have not 
preached the Word of God. The day was mostly spent in 
reading and meditation. Felt ill at ease that I could not be 
preaching somewhere. 

31. Terrible storm all day. About five inches of snow fell. 
Drifted much. 

Apr. 2. 1875. Sister Sarah Anderson, our girl, became home- 
sick and would stay no longer. Could not leave to fill appoint- 
ments in York and Polk Counties. Deeply regretted that I 
could not be with the dear brethren, but could get no one to 
take care of Wife and child; besides, the roads were almost 
impassable. 

3. Pitched into housework as usual. Did the cooking and 
washed dishes. Sarah quite sick this A. M. 

4. Sabbath. Did up the work this morn, and though late 
I started for prayer-meeting, thinking I could get there in time 
to have at least one prayer with the dear brethren. Found 
they had just closed their prayer-meeting. I read a chapter, 
talked some, and sang and prayed with them. My heart was 
full. Having been kept at home from public worship for some 
weeks, I felt as a bird set at liberty. Bless God for the privilege 
of appearing in his courts to offer our sacrifice of praise! 
Returned home. Found dear Wife and child asleep, both 
feeling very well. The little creature slept right on till night. 
Sarah and I spent the time pleasantly reading and talking of 
our blessed hope of glory. My heart was light and happy. 
Bro. David Figard today kindly invited me to move into his 
house. Thank God for this kindness. The brethren know 
that we have not a very pleasant place to live, yet I have no 
room for complaints, but much occasion for thanks. 

7. P. M., heavy rains. About a mile to the southeast of 
Seward there was a great waterspout extending from a black 
cloud to the earth. It was a grand and sublime sight. As it 
followed a high riclge on the opposite side of the Blue River 
valley from us we had a beautiful view of it. We could see 
the water strike the ground and a dense spray arise around it 
resembling smoke. I have learned that it tore one house and 
a wagon to pieces. 

9. Drove to Brother Figard's via Seward. Our ride of about 
seven miles was the first for our dear little Levilla Modest. 

12. About one last night I took quite sick with, I suppose, 
cholera morbus. Sick all day. Sorry I could not go to Polk 



94 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

County, but it is necessary that blessings disguised in affliction 
come at times as well as the almost constant blessing of health. 
Tonight, I think, is the third appointment in eight years that 
I have missed through my physical disability. 

13. Drove to York County. Called at Father Fenton's, a 
United Brethren preacher, who is poorly. Found also another 
aged pilgrim in the family, who desired me to bring him some 
good books to read. Being anxious to bestow some kindness 
on this good old Methodist father, I left a book with him that 
I was taking home, having had it lent for some time. Had a 
season of prayer and then some conversation on the hope of 
the saints. 

14. Found that my appointment which I had failed to reach 
had proved a blessing after all, for they had a good prayer- 
meeting. Appointed another for the following Sabbath eve, 
which was a success also and resulted in the organization of 
a Sabbath-school, which is under the omcership of those who 
hold with the church of God. Prospects are good here. A 
railroad-station is expected close by. P. M., drove to Fillmore 
County. How beautiful and pleasing, yea, charming, even to 
making happy, the day and the landscape! 

17. Brothers Figard and J. H. Anderson moved us today to 
Brother F's. 

20. Drove to Polk County. Distance, twenty-eight miles. 
Found the brotherhood well and hungry for the gospel. 

23. Wife and I drove to Indian Creek, Fillmore County, 
distance, thirty-four miles. 

26. Wife and I went to Seward. Asked for the Presbyterian 
meeting-house for Ministerial Association in case we are re- 
fused the Methodist Episcopal house. Found the latter wished 
to reserve some of the time hence accepted the Presbyterian 
house. Had programs printed. 

27. Drove to Polk County and planted fruit trees. 

28. Planted trees, potatoes, and garden seeds until after 
4 P. M. At five minutes past five started for Wilson schoolhouse, 
about fifteen and one half miles. Reached in time. 1 Pet. 1:13. 
This is a new point, with good prospects. Tis only a half mile 
from where it is said there will be a station on the Midland 
Pacific, which is now being extended to York Center. 

May 2, 1875. Sabbath. Stormy. Went home with Brother 
Price, it being handy and the weather bad. Several came there 
to spend the afternoon. The time passed off very pleasantly 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 95 

singing, and I lectured some on moral and mental culture. 
Examined some heads. 

4. A. M., wrote letters. P. M., went to Seward. Com- 
pleted arrangements for Ministerial Association. 

5. Sarah and I drove over to the Blue. Had a pleasant 
time fishing. Caught a mess. 

8. Visited Brother Mitchell's. Left Wife there and drove 
over to visit Brother Lichty. He was one of our seekers when 
I closed the meeting last winter. I was anxious to see him; 
but he being from home, I was disappointed. Found them quite 
poor. Large family of children. Live in dugout. Mrs. Lichty 
quite unwell, which added to the distressful appearance of things. 
Talked to the woman and children about Jesus and heaven. 
Read, prayed, and sang with them. Distributed fifty cents 
among the children. 

13. Studied for Ministerial Association. 

14. Ministerial Association; began. Went early to town. 
Glad to meet . . ., but was very much disappointed to learn 
that . . . could not be with us. 

15. I discoursed on the polity of the Church of God in lieu 
of Brother Howard. 

16. Sabbath. This is Pentecost day. Thank God for the 
beautiful weather. All nature seems to be waking from its 
long winter slumber to praise God. The beautiful prairie is 
green with grain and pastures. The valleys are dotted with 
herds of cattle, which, as well as they on a thousand hills, 
are the Lord's. The beautiful streams are lined with plum- 
bushes all in bloom. The groves are preparing to cheer the 
heart of the prairie inhabitants with their pleasant shady foliage. 

At eleven Brother Aller preached in the Methodist Episcopal 
house and I preached the Pentecostal sermon in the Presby- 
terian house. Acts 2:1-4. At 3 P. M. Brother Aller preached 
a glorious and lovely sermon en the brotherhood of the saints. 
Deep and lasting impressions were made. How powerfully 
this dear brother preached for the unity of the saints of God, 
with the eloquence of tears and overflowing love! 

We parted with brotherly greetings at a quite late hour to 
meet at Crete second Tuesday in September. 

17. Went to Brother Green's. While there Brother S— 
came in. We were just ready to engage in prayer. The Lord 
wonderfully blessed me in prayer. I prayed fervently for him, 
though he has been acting the part of an open enemy to me and 



96 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the cause I represent. Went to Seward. Received fifty dollars 
from the Board. Called on Bro. J. W. Figard, who is applying 
himself vigorously to the pursuit of an education. Hope the 
Lord will raise him up for an effectual minister of the gospel. 

21. Made out report to the General Eldership. 

23. Sabbath. This was a glorious and happy day's work 
in the vineyard of the Lord. The Master was very near me 
all day. Oh what liberty in speaking! what peace in my soul! 

26. Up at daylight. Brothers Figard and Anderson moved 
our things to homestead. We arrived about 1 P. M., they in the 
eve. Unloaded, took supper, and staid all night in our house. 

Here the record of Brother Warner's labors in the 
Western field must end abruptly, as the succeeding por- 
tion was in a separate book that has not been found. We 
leave him with his little family just moved into their own 
house in Polk County, having spent the winter near 
Seward. Our next of the diary accounts begins in the 
following December and finds him back in Ohio fields, 
whither, probably by decision of the Board of Missions 
or Eldership he was called to labor again. The daily ac- 
counts which have been omitted for want of space show 
him always active — traveling, preaching, visiting, pray- 
ing, etc. The selections that are given from his diary 
are chosen in order to display the various sides and aspects 
of his life and character. We have noticed his great zeal 
for the work of preaching the gospel and caring for those 
under his charge. The widely separated flocks meant 
much traveling and exposure in that new country.* 

*Dr. Forney says that in June, 1875, Brother Warner organized 
a church in York County of thirty-one members, and further says 
of his work in Nebraska that ' ' to such an extent were the min- 
isters and churches encouraged that they conferred together on 
the advisability of organizing an Eldership in Nebraska. ' ' Brother 
Warner notes in his diary account' for Nov. 7, 1874, that a Pre- 
liminary Eldership was organized at Crete, in Saline County. Ap- 
plication was made to the General Eldership, which assembled in 
Ohio in May, 1875, and an Eldership of the Church of God in 
Nebraska was chartered. The first meeting of the Nebraska 
Eldership was held at Cropsey- Oct. 1, 1875. Among the fifteen 
names enrolled Brother Warners does not appear, hence we con- 
clude that by that time h* had left Nebraska. 



A NEBRASKA MISSION 97 

We note his attitude and teaching on the church ques- 
tion. In a large measure he had light on the true Bible 
church, and he supposed he was not a member of any sect 
when, as a matter of fact, he was. The benefits of his 
knowledge and teachings of the one church were directed 
in the interest of the so-called church of God, which he 
was ignorantly laboring to build up. It was not until he 
received the experience of perfect holiness and began to 
teach the truth on the subject that he was made to feel his 
limitations to human ecclesiasticism and thus discover the 
pen he was in.* His teachings and applications of the 
Scriptural church (there is but one) was possible only 
among the followers of John Winebrenner or in some 
similar body supposing themselves to be that one true 
church. It is an interesting fact that upon the fulness of 
time for God's people to throw off all human ecclesiastical 
bondage and sever themselves from spiritual Babylon, the 
lead was taken principally by those who had belonged to 
the Winebrennerian following. Thus this denominational 
body may be regarded as a sort of preparatory medium, 
or half-way step, for the reformation which is now an 
established thing. At any rate God had in Brother War- 
ner raised up a man particularly disposed to emphasize 
the church question, and the denomination mentioned 
seemed to be the only one he could affiliate with till more 
advanced light and truth forbade his remaining longer 
with them. 



*That his disposition to be freely led of God made him poor 
material for a human ecclesiastical machine is evinced in the ac- 
count by Dr. Forney of the Eighteenth West Ohio Eldership, for 
the year ending Sept. 30, 1874. He says: "The beginning of 
trouble between D. S. Warner and the Eldership is foreshadowed in 
an action on the adoption of his report, which stated that he had 
'organized a church in Upper Sandusky contrary to the Rules of 
Cooperation, 'and regarding this as a' schismatic movement, ' highly 
disapproved of his course in organizing said church. ' ' 



VII 

BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 

In his resumption of the work in Ohio we find Brother 
Warner in charge, it seems, of the Ashland circuit, with 
his home at Hayesville, Ashland County. Here, as was 
characteristic of him everywhere, he was wholly absorbed 
in spiritual labor, the salvation of sinners and the general 
spiritual welfare of people everywhere within his reach. 
In his diary for Dec. 21, 1875, he says: 

Went out visiting and talking to the people. My soul was so 
happy all day that I could hardly refrain from shouting. Oh, 
how sweet it was to talk to sinners about Jesus and his love! 
Found in shops and houses a number of precious souls that were 
serious. I admonished them to repent. Some gave much hope 
of a start. 

The closing moments of the year 1 875 were devoted to 
a renewal of consecration of himself and others. 

A few minutes before twelve we all bowed down and to the 
service of God consecrated ourselves and vowed fidelity. God 
accepted the offering and sealed our vows to him by the gift of 
his Spirit. After affectionate New Year greetings and congratu- 
lations, we went to our homes to rest. 

Into his congregation at Shenandoah an Elder L 

had come and was poisoning the minds of the converts 
by teaching the Campbellite doctrine of baptism as an 
essential condition to the pardon of sin. He afterward 
held a public discussion with this preacher.* 

^Brother Warner was one of the principal debaters of the Church 
of God. Dr. Forney mentions his debates as follows: In August, 
1871 with the Eeverend Mr. Baker, of the Disciple Church, the 
proposition being, "The Church of God of which I am a member is 
the only church of divine origin." In June, 1872, with Leonard 
Parker, Methodist Episcopal Church, on the old subject of baptism. 
On May 15, 1874, near", Orton, Nebr., he defended the perpetuity 
and public observance of feet-washing as an ordinance against 
E. Evans, of the Disciple Church. At the Osborne Schoolhouse, 
near Seward, Nebr., with C. L. Boyd, Adventist. The proposition 
discussed was, ' ' The first day of the week has been set apart by di- 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 99 

Feb- 19, 1876. Drove to Shenandoah. Found Elder L- 



having a good time deluding and baptizing sinners. Found the 
converts greatly strengthened by the wind of doctrine that had 
been assailing them. However, a few had been corrupted by 
the false doctrine and were inclined to go from the Church of 
God, being carried by the wind of doctrine. With a mean, sneak- 
ing look they applied for letters. I told them that I had not 
taken them into the Church of God and could not dismiss them 
from it, and there was only one way to get out and that was 
through sin. This they could not deny, nor could they give 
a reason for their course. 

About this time he gradually came into the knowledge 
of the truth respecting divine healing, and we find in his 
accounts an occasional reference to his praying for the 
sick and of their recovery. 

He was sent for by his father-in-law to come to Upper 
Sandusky, where sectarians were making inroads among 
the converts. 

April 2, 1876. The sectarians are making a stampede this 
morning. They have been after about every convert to go to 
their church and now this morning they have their conclave out- 
side and every convert is stopped and asked to join the Method- 
ists. An excitement is raised and the people's minds are bewild- 
ered, and some who had said they would stick to the Church of 
God are now standing back. Before closing, an old bigot, be- 
longing to the Methodists, took the liberty to get up and call 
for all to raise their hands who wanted to go to Methodism. 
Some responded. Sectarianism! thou abomination iof the 
earth, thou bane of the cause of God, when will thy corrupt and 
wicked walls fall to earth and cease to curse men to hell? 

June 4, 1876. This is the second anniversary of our marriage. 
Thank God for connubial and domestic happiness. May God 
continue to bless us with love, peace, and sacred union. 

July 18, 1876. Received the sad and startling news of the 

vine authority as Sabbath or Lord's day." The discussion was 
the outcome of a series of addresses by Boyd on the seventh day 
Sabbath. So well did Warner defend the proposition, says Forney, 
that at the close of the debate the congregation present voted 
thirty-six to sixteen that he had established it. The debate con- 
tinued three evenings. 



100 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

death of my dear mother. She died July 13. The days of her 
pilgrimage were seventy-one years, five months, and seven days. 
Hers was a life of trouble and care. But, thank God, she has 
gone to her sweet rest in heaven. Oh, how sacred the memory 
of thy pure and virtuous life! "patient in tribulation," constant 
and untiring in thy kindness and care for all under thy roof. 
Oh, what love like a mother's! What mother like my own dear, 
sainted mother? In all the ordeal of life thy calm and peaceful 
spirit has never known a ruffle. Thy love has never once failed. 
Thy sorely tried patience never was exhausted. 

Dearest mother, in childhood and youth thou wast my all. 
And when maturer years had launched my bark in the midst of 
awful breakers, dark clouds, and tempestuous seas of corrupt 
society, thy pure life was my only star of hope. Thank God, 
thou shalt be honored in heaven with the salvation of one poor, 
wayward son by thy holy influence. Praise the Lord for a good 
and holy mother! 

She was always strongly inclined to piety, the fear and rever- 
ence of God. In October, 1870, she was fellowshiped by the 
Church of God at South Bridgewater and the same day immersed 
by me in the St. Joseph River. Though she was feeble and the 
weather cold and the distance over three miles from home, she 
chose to go home before changing clothes. She was a happy 
soul, and the next day 1 seemed quite improved in health. Now 
she is gone. One of the dearest ties that bound me to earth now 
attracts me to heaven. I can not lament her departure. I only 
grieve that I was not informed of her affliction that I could have 
been there to cheer her while approaching the river. Or, had I 
only been apprized of her death that I could have seen once more 
the face of my own dear mother before she was laid in the tomb ! 
But I shall see her not again until the heavens are no more and 
the Son of God shall come to call the saints from the dust of the 
earth. Farewell, dear mother. We soon shall meet again. 

July 29. We visited the penitentiary [in Columbus]. Over 
1,300 prisoners. All at work manufacturing nearly everything 
in use. The extensive work was interesting, but the study of the 
heads and faces of the workmen was much more so. One strik- 
ing characteristic was, almost invariably, great firmness. This 
being perverted enabled them to execute their dark crimes. Con- 
scientiousness was low in every head. This left them without 
moral restraint. Some I observed were very deficient in the social 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 101 

group, especially was inhabitiveness almost entirely deficient. 
This gave a rambling disposition, hence irresponsible and exposed 
to bad society. A large majority exhibited a very good intellect, 
many even above mediocrity. These intellectual powers, which 
had they been sanctified to God would have been very useful, 
being perverted were used only to ; devise crime. 

Oct. 1, 1876. Eldership meeting at Findlay. I was much 
overcome with emotion as I tried to speak of my meeting with 
the Eldership for the first time in that house nine years ago. 
Never shall I forget the solemn feelings I experienced at that 
time. I had not expected a license; but how I trembled with 
fear and dread when I learned that a license and a field pf labor 
were given me! I thought it all a mistake of the Eldership. I 
repaired to the stable of Brother F — , where I poured out my 
heart to God in prayer. Bless God, he heard me and comforted 
my agonizing heart. I then received the assurance that he was 
directing my way. My soul was unburdened and my peace flowed 
like a river. And now my laboring soul and inmost heart would 
give thanks to God who has upheld me in the arduous labors of 
the past nine years. Having begun an invalid, supposed by many 
to be a consumptive, my strength has gradually increased through 
God's blessings and mercies. 

30. Gathered some chestnuts this morning. Had a season of 
prayer in the woods. 

Nov. 30, 1876. This is Thanksgiving Day. Oh, that the whole 
nation would indeed thank God for his goodness and mercy! 
Brother Oliver and I each made a short discourse on the occasion. 
P. M„ read 0. S. Fowler's Physiology, Animal and Mental. 
God, forgive me of the sin this book has convicted me of. By 
the grace of God, from this day forth I will reform in quantity, 
etc., of food as much as my irregular mode of life will allow. 
How much I can improve the vigor of the mind and the fervor of 
devotion! Thank God for this volume! Oh, that every one had 
it who is suffering for want of its instruction! 

Dec. 31, 1876. Sabbath. Arose early to go to my appoint- 
ments. Levilla ill. Mother Keller very sick with headache, un- 
able to be up. Was compelled to stay at home. Oh, what dis- 
tress of mind I was in this day through the fearful conflict of duty 
to family and duty to the cause! How wretched I felt all day! 
The day was pleasant and I know there were crowded houses to 
hear the gospel. How I longed to preach to them! 



102 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

January 7, 1877. Went to visit Mr. S — , who is suffering aw- 
ful distress. Was met by a young man who was coming after 
us. We went with the hope that the poor, dying man was eager 
to hear of Christ and his salvation; but oh, horror of horrors! 
When we approached the house we heard the poor soul hollowing 
out in wild strains: "I can't die; I can't die." I asked him 
if we should pray for him. He hollowed out "No!" But I 
thought he was delirious and concluded to sing and pray with 
him, which I did with all my heart. After prayer I talked with 
the family and learned that he had said he was a lost sinner, that 
he could not be saved. I asked him if we should pray. He shook 
his head. I talked to him of how Christ died for sinners and how 
he loved and desired to save him; but there was a hideous look 
in his eyes. He looked frightful, yet he was conscious, answered 
every question we could ask him. I called for oil and said I 
would do as the New Testament directed. So I bowed down, 
anointed his forehead, and was about to anoint his breast when 
he seized his shirt anc{ drew it together. I laid one hand on his 
head, the other on his body, and began to pray. He drew his 
head forward and tried to get it under the cover. He shoved my 
hand from under his head. I could pray but little. He told every 
one present that he did not want us to come back. He said he 
would die; was not prepared to die; did not believe that Christ 
died for him; did not love Christ and did not want to. He 
showed every appearance of being possessed by the devil. When 
we kept our distance he would turn and look at us with fiendish 
vengeance. When we approached he would turn his face to the 
wall. Poor soul! soon he will be in eternity, I presume, and 
yet raging mad against Christ and his people. I shall never for- 
get the horrors of this day. When we entered the first room we 
met several women weeping. The old mother fainted away. He 
was crying loudly in the other room. 

In 1877, while on the Ashland circuit Brother Warner 
arranged, in connection with ministerial duties, to take 
some selective studies at Vermillion College, located at 
Hayesville. This was a Presbyterian school of some 
note at the time, enrolling three hundred to four hundred 
students. It was founded in 1845. Dr. Sanders Diefen- 
dorf became its head in 1 849. Brother Warner and his 
wife were invited to occupy rooms in the building, and 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 103 

they did so, as they found they could live much cheaper 
there than in Mansfield and would enjoy better privileges 
of study. They engaged five rooms for the summer of 
1877, which cost them six dollars a month. Among 
Brother Warner's studies at this place were English 
Analysis, Greek, German, and studies in the New Testa- 
ment. He took an active part in the literary society. 

The year 1 877 was a notable one in Brother Warner's 
life. Already accomplished as he was in deep spiritual- 
ity and devotion, it would seem that these graces were 
multiplied or intensified tenfold by an attainment that 
from this year became his permanent possession. That 
attainment was the experience of entire sanctification as 
received definitely by faith and subsequent to regeneration. 
He embraced the cause of holiness. 

He had been for some years honestly prejudiced 
against the doctrine ; but he heard some truth by the holi- 
ness advocates that set him to thinking. It was doubtless 
largely through the influence of his father-in-law's family 
that he began to be won to the doctrine. They had 
become friends of the holiness cause and had received the 
experience. His wife also was sanctified, and the change 
in her was a test that he had no words to gainsay. A holi- 
ness band had been formed at Upper Sandusky, where his 
wife's people lived. 

The one minister who perhaps more than any other led 
him into the experience of holiness, was C. R. Dunbar, a 
Baptist who was laboring in connection with the Holiness 
Alliance. Brother Warner says of him, "He is a very 
able man intellectually, but still more potent in faith and 
gospel, Holy Ghost power." He was the musical author 
of the song, now so common: 

"I'll live for him who died for me, 
How happy theit my life shall be! 
I'll live for him who died for me, 
My Savior and my God." 



104 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

The great holiness movement was sweeping over the 
country at this time. Brother Warner was too loyal to 
God and to the teaching of the Bible ever to be classed 
among those who should reject holiness when brought 
face to face with the issue. He and his wife gave their 
names to the holiness band at Upper Sandusky, and he 
quoted the words of the Psalmist: "I am a companion of 
all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy pre- 
cepts." At this time his impulsiveness led him to claim 
the blessing at once, but he soon found that it could not 
be picked up so readily ; that for him, as well as for others, 
there was a consecration to make and self to be crucified. 

A little anecdote in this connection is told by a brother 
who heard Brother Warner relate it of himself. He 
(Brother Warner) had been attending some meetings of 
the holiness people and had received some light. On re- 
turning to his charge he preached a sermon on holiness 
without having obtained the experience. Two sisters 
who had received the experience knew that he did not 
yet have it and urged that he get it before attempting to 
preach it. At the altar service that followed he got down 
as if to pray for others, but first prayed privately for his 
own sanctification. Then audibly he began, "Lord, sanc- 
tify us," whereupon one of the sisters said, "Brother War- 
ner, do not pray, 'Lord, sanctify us' ; but say, 'Lord, sanc- 
tify me.' ' At this he wilted and came right out with 
"Lord, sanctify me." 

We shall quote freely from his diary, as his experience 
at this time is best expressed by his own words. 

April 13, 1877. Had much talk with Brother Dunbar on sanc- 
tification. I have always believed in a full salvation, and agree 
that it is usually obtained after the justified state. This was my 
experience as well as that of all advocates of holiness; but I was 
inclined to attribute the deficiency of the justified state to infan- 
tile weakness, which through outward sinful influence, was not 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 105 

able to carry out the pure nature fully in practise. But he and all 
sanctificationists attribute it to the remaining depravity of nature. 
16. Since I arose this morning my constant prayer to God 
has been that he will lead me in all things. I pray God to take 
me like an old sack and shake me until entirely empty, and then 
fill me with the fulness of himself. God! turn out every nook 
and corner of my heart and purge me, soul, body, spirit, and 
mind. I received a blessing about the time I entered the minis- 
try that seemed to correspond with the experience of sanctified 
ones; but I have not always kept that state of perfect love, and 
my God knows that I need a fresh blessing of sanctification power. 
. Though I experienced sanctification ten years ago, when 
entering upon the work of the ministry, yet I want and need a 
renewal of God's power, that my testimony for God may be more 
effectual. Also, I know that I have not always lived in this glori- 
ous liberty. I have this day examined my heart carefully and 
feel assured that I accept the whole will of God and now stand 
by faith upon the promise ,of God. I leave myself and all my con- 
cerns ii* his hands. By faith I say, "I am the Lord's, and he is 
mine." 

Here Brother Warner quotes the poem, "Farther On." 
How appropriate this was to his life at this point! How 
much of his activity and accomplishment were enveloped 
in the "farther on"! 

"A soft, sweet voice from Eden stealing, 
Such as but the angels sing; 
Heme's cheering song is ever thrilling, 
It is better farther on. 

"I hear Hope singing, sweetly singing 
Softly in an undertone, 
And singing as if God had taught her, 
It is better farther on. 

"By night and day she sings the same song, 
Sings it while I sit alone; 
And sings it so the heart may hear it, 
It is better farther on. 

"She sits upon the grave and sings it, 
Sings it when the heart would groan; 
And sings it when the shadows darken, 
It is better farther on. 



106 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

"Still farther on, oh, how much farther? 
Count the milestones one by one; 
No, no! no counting, only trusting — 
It is better farther on." 

April 25, 1877. I was dull today. Study was a drag. I prayed 
to God that if I am pursuing these studies for his glory he should 
quicken my mind. I was^ as oft before, convinced that I ate 
too much, which stupefied my mind; hence resolved, as oft before, 
to quit gormandizing to gratify appetite. I resolved in God's 
name and in his strength to do this thing. I ate but a few spoon- 
fuls of graham mush for supper. Felt cheered by God's presence 
in evening worship. 

26. My mind was active today. Lessons were easily learned, 
spirits cheerful, recitations more successful. Lord, keep me in 
the possession of a clear, active, and retentive mind, a pure 
heart, and a consecrated life, devoted to God's service. 

May 19, 1877. Had a very interesting meeting in the Excel- 
sior Society. M. J. Boyd and I conducted the main discussion on 
the following question: Do We Suffer More from Real Than 
Imaginary Evils? I affirmed. 

27. Sabbath. Beautiful day. Arose early and, taking a test- 
ament with me, I took a long walk, enjoying the precious pure 
air, the beauties of nature, and communion with God through 
his Word and Spirit. Read and meditated upon several chapters. 
Precious season in family worship. Just when we were through 
with breakfast* the boy raised the cry that the house was on fire. 
We ran to the bedroom and found the curtains and clothing 
around the wall in a blaze. Great excitement prevailed. But 
soon by means of a few pails of water' and by throwing some of 
the burning fabrics out, the fire was extinquished with the loss 
only of some clothing. The fire was started by a small child, who 
finding a match on the candlestick, struck it and then dropped it 
on the end of the curtain that reached to the floor. 

June 1, 1877. Prepared and delivered a lecture before the 
Excelsior Society on, the Interrelation between Mind and Body, 
and their Mutual Dependence. 

7. Built steps over the fence to avoid having the gate left 
open, as much of my cabbage has already been destroyed. As 
a consideration, Professor agreed to give me more ground to .gar- 
den. 

8. Worked on an essay for the Society tonight, also on a 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 107 

composition for the Board, to be criticized. Eve, met withi the 
Excelsior Society and entered upon the duties of secretary. 
There being few present, all other exercises were dispensed with 
but a general discussion on the subject, Is Force More Effectual 
in Government than Persuasion. I took the negative. Mr. W. 
Diefendorf also spoke on the negative. The vote was almost 
unanimous for the negative. 

15. A. M., recitations as usual. P. M., prepared for Society. 
Rained all afternoon and evening. No Excelsior meeting. Visit- 
ed the Philo Society. Participated in general discussion on the 
following question: Is the Fear of Punishment a Greater Incen- 
tive to Exertion than the Hope of Reward? Spoke on the nega- 
tive. Large majority in our favor on the final vote. 

July 5, 1877. Met at half-past nine in the Bethel. After a 
profitable season of prayer, reading the Word, testifying, etc., 
I presented myself at the altar to seek entire sanctification. I 
enjoyed that blessing ten years ago, but I had all this time repud- 
iated the second work and accounted for the wonderful change 
that God had wrought in me at that time to my yielding to the 
call to preach the blessed gospel of Jesus, after being disobedient. 
I had often been disgusted, too, with the fanaticism I saw mixed 
with the professors of the second work; it had steeped me with 
prejudice through and through. 

Though I could not deny that the experience of these people 
was in perfect harmony with my own, yet I strongly opposed their 
views, claiming that God does not do his work by piecemeal, but 
that he makes a full and complete finish of it at once. I attributed 
the second experience to the fact that after conversion we are 
weak infants and not able to carry into action the pure nature 
that God has given us until we grow to that degree of strength 
that we can successfully cope with outer temptation, and that 
holy nature given to us in regeneration reaches a degree of de- 
velopment in strength that it wijl no more be under subjection to 
sin in the world around us. 

Thus, while I did not doubt the truthfulness of their testimony, 
I thought I comprehended the whole matter and saw the slight 
mistake, as I supposed, in the basis of their experience. 

But God having let Father and Mother Keller and the whole 
family into this glorious experience, with my dear companion, I 
began to search the Scriptures anew to see if I might not be 
mistaken myself. I carefully reviewed my conversion and recol- 



1 08 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

lected that I sought and asked* of God only pardon of my past 
sins and relief from my past guilt. That in ten years labor, in 
which some seven hundred souls came to Christ, I never knew one 
to seek for anything else but pardon for actual transgression ; and 
it is a fact that we do not ask of God that which we have not 
apprehended the need of, and God does not give until we ask 
for a thing. 

Moreover, it, is claimed that justification is not a partial but 
complete work ,of itself, and sanctification, i. e., purification, an- 
other. Since seeing every day the change in my dear wife I 
thought I was beyond doubt of this second work. But, ah, the 
devil is rallying his forces against me. Am I making a fool of my- 
self coming out here where I have invited and labored with sin- 
ners? My old arguments would come up and I had powerful temp- 
tations to settle back upon them and forever repudiate the sec- 
ond work. I obtained no light. 

P. M. We met at half-past two and held meeting till nearly five. 
I labored at the altar. At night after Brother Burlison read a 
Scripture lesson and talked for some time on holiness, we all 
bowed around the altar; but I could do nothing, all was dark. 
I came here fully believing in a second work of God in the soul; 
but now, as I attempt to seek it, how thick the temptations of Sa- 
tan come up before me! how all my old arguments and objections 
gather like rubbish, obstructing the light! Sometimes I was about 
to conclude that this was all foolishness. I was ashamed to bow 
at the altar and seek sanctification of "soul, body, and spirit" 
after I had invited sinners to and labored with them at the same 
altar. 

6. Arose early this morning and searched the Scriptures and 
asked God for light. I noticed whenever I felt resigned to God 
and was willing to make any sacrifice to know the truth I was 
strongly impressed to seek sanctification. 

This morn I was directed to 1 Pet. 5:10 and Eph. 3:14-20. 
Light is becoming brighter; in the Word. Thank God. Met at 
half-past nine. The foundation of faith was now becoming-strong 
in me. I arose and read some portions of the Word and boldly 
declared my faith in thq second work, and that I was resting in 
the promises of God to my entire sanctification. Met again, at 
2:30 p. m., having spent most of the interval in searching my 
heart, and truly I found that it has not been as good as I before 
supposed. Oh how much self there has been in all my past labors! 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 109 

God of power, kill and cast out all of self. I reviewed my obser- 
vations of the past ten years* labor. About seven hundred souls 
I have observed seeking salvation, and I can not recall any who 
did not definitely seek for justification from past sins. It appears 
that the condemned sinner can think of nothing else and does 
not possess a capacity to grasp the idea that God is able to 
destroy all evil in depraved humanity. "God, forgive my past sins 
and help me in the future to keep from sin," is about as great a 
blessing as the mind beclouded by guilt can conceive and ask 
for. With a still more deep and fervent consecration I again 
sought the blessing of perfect holiness. Glory to God, I was able 
to claim the blessing by faith, though yet without the anointing 
of power. After meeting I spent most of the time talking holiness 
to several brethren, which I feltj was pleasing to God. 

Eve, Brother Burlison read 1 Corinthians 3, and talked a little; 
then, an invitation being given, a good many surrounded the altar, 
several of whom were seeking the blessing. Thank God, some 
professed to receive the blessing. I am still standing, yea, rest- 
ing sweetly in the promise of God for entire and constant sal- 
vation through the blood of Jesus. 

7. Today we fasted all day. Met in the Bethel at 9 A. M. and 
held meeting until after 4 P. M. without intermission. This day 
I was the least conscious of a physical nature and my relations 
with a corporeal world of any day in all my life. I seemed to be 
entirely unconscious of, 'passing time. Only the spirit seemed to 
live, stir, feel, and take cognizance. Glory to the God pf wonders! 
Is this really but the foct-stool of God? 

Mother Keller, Sarah, and I went to Brother L — 's for supper. 
She (Mrs. L.) very soon began to pour out her bitter railing 
against holiness and holy ones; but praise God, he kept our souls 
in perfect peace. After my communing with God in secret for 
some time, the Lord told me to go immediately to see a poor sick 
girl near by. Mother accompanied me. Found her barely able 
to sit up, having been suffering for nearly one year. She had 
exhausted in vain all available medical aid. We spoke of the 
Great Physician. She said she believed that he was able to heal 
her. We called for oil, anointed her in the name of the Lord 
and laid hands on, and prayed for her present restoration to 
health. We entreated God with all the faith and earnestness of 
our inmost soul and then left her in the hands of God, with a 
comfortable degree ,of faith that God would raise her up again. 



1 1 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Eve, met at a quarter to eight. Mighty power filled the house. 
The altar was filled from one side to the other. Several were 
seeking sanctification. Glory to God, this night he began to 
give me some of the evidences (besides my hitherto naked faith) 
that I had got out pf the wilderness into Canaan. Jesus, my 
blessed Savior, just cut me off one bunch of the sweet grapes 
of this "land." Oh, glory to God, once more I was a little 
child! I felt the blood of Jesus flowing through my entire "soul, 
body, and spirit." Heaven pn earth! Halleluiah, it is done! 

8. Sabbath. At five this morning a goodly number met in the 
Bethel for prayers. The Spirit was with us. Returned to Brother 
Bell's ; ate a piece for breakfast, as we all felt that bodily wants 
were simple and few while the soul was so dearly fed with the 
bread of heaven. Met at half-past nine, and after many clear 
testimonies were given in for Jesus Brother Dunbar preached the 
word of life with great power and sweetness. Text, "For God 
hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." He read 
much of the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, where this 
glorious second work is brought out so clear and forcibly. My 
soul was never before so wonderfully fed by the gospel in any 
sermon I ever heard. Oh, how sweet and glorious the word of 
life came to my renovated heart! 

Mother, Sarah, and I went to Brother Furman's for dinner. 
Returned to the two o'clock meeting. Among many clear wit- 
nesses I testified today to the bipod that cleanses from all sin 
and also uncleanness of nature. The Jong altar was again 
crowded and several found sanctification in the blood. Some 
backsliders were restored. God is wonderfully at work. All 
glory to his name! 

At six we met again in the Bethel, after spending a long time 
in the closet with Qod. The Spirit impressed me to talk to the 
people on the commands of Jesus, and in simplicity I did so, us- 
ing John 14: 15 as a text. I read the word of the Lord concern- 
ing the duty of washing the saints' feet. Then we proceeded to 
obey the Lord. God wonderfully blessed me in talking, but my 
soul leaped for joy as I saw the dear sanctified ones come prompt- 
ly to the bench and joyfully obey Him whom they love. God 
wonderfully blessed them, as they all testified the next day. Many 
of them had never seen the holy ordinance of feet-washing ob- 
served before. The Church of God brethren had said that if 
these holiness people would obey these lowly commands then 



BACK IN OHIO FIELDS 1 1 1 

they would have confidence in them. Thank God, true holiness 
needs but to be tested to be proved genuine. 

10. This morn had to miss prayer-meeting in order to take 
Mother Keller and our dear Levilla to the train, as they go to 
Upper Sandusky this morn. We will go by buggy at the close of 
meeting. Sister Bell and Sarah went to the country today to 
get berries. I wrote and prayed most of the forenoon. Then, 
feeling very empty and destitute of the stirrings of the Spirit, I 
sought God earnestly in secret and then started out to work for 
him. Visited and prayed with two families, but still felt desti- 
tute of the Comforter. Met at 2: 30 P. M. at the house of God. 
Several observed that I was being much tried. But I was eager 
to defeat the enemy of my soul by testifying to the sanctifying 
power of the blood of Jesus. I did so, declaring that the blood 
of Jesus had washed from all sin. While I was talking, the 
Lord showed me that I had now entered upon the path of per- 
fect trust in Jesus, and that as faith was eternal and unchange- 
able, I had forever abandoned the up-and-down road of feeling. 
I also (in an absent-minded manner) made the remark that 
I had been cheated out of the morning prayer-meeting. But 
quick as thought I saw that it was wrong, for it was either com- 
plaining of or speaking lightly of God's providence. This remark 
furnished a subject of meditation through the afternoon. I see 
how entirely loyal to God's providence I now was. I felt that 
the above remark and all similar ones, so common and admis- 
sible in my past state, were not only wrong, but could not be 
true, as I have given myself, all I have, to God, surrendered all 
my ways, time, talents, means, influence, name, reputation, and 
everything with which I am connected — wife, child, friends, my 
destiny — all into the hands of God. I glorify in the blessed 
truth that no being in the whole universe can cheat me out of 
anything or do me the least harm. Glory to God forever! How 
happy I am in accepting all the will and providence of God! 
From the time of my testimony I realized the glorious river of 
life flowing through my entire being. What a sweet sense of per- 
fect purity filled my mind and heart! Holiness was written 
everywhere. My very body seemed sacred and pure, a temple 
for the holy God. Glory to the cleansing power of the blood of 
Jesus! 

"Precious Jesus, thou hast saved me, 

Thine and only thine I am. 
Oh, the precious blood has reached me I 

Glory, glory to the Lamb! 



1 12 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 



'Long my yearning heart was trying 
To enjoy this perfect rest; 

But I gave all trying over, 
Simply trusting I was blessed. 

'Glory to the blood that bought me, 
Glory to its cleansing power, 

Glory to the blood that keeps me, 
Glory, glory evermore! 

'Yes, I will stand up for Jesus; 

He has sweetly saved my soul, 
Cleansed me from inbred corruption, 

Sanctified and made me whole. 

f Oh, I can no longer doubt it, 

Halleluiah, I am free! 
Jesus saves me, soul and body, 

And he sweetly dwells in me." 



VIII 

THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 

The decades of the sixties, seventies, and eighties of 
the last century witnessed a special revival of the doctrine 
of holiness, or sanctification. Sanctification was held as 
being a work of God's grace wrought in the heart subse- 
quent to pardon, and accomplishing for the individual, 
through consecration, and faith in Christ, ( 1 ) restoration 
of the soul from innate depravity and uncleanness, the 
destruction of that carnal element which antagonizes the 
godly purpose of the soul, and (2) the infilling and in- 
dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In short, it was the doctrine 
of Christian perfection, the state of loving God supremely 
and of living victorious over every form of sin. 

This doctrine was nothing more nor less than one of the 
great Scriptural truths that had been obscured by the 
apostasy. It had been taught by the Wesleys, but through 
the denomination-building zeal of their followers it had 
become to a great extent a dead letter in their articles of 
faith. The bright spiritual lights of the world throughout 
the gospel dispensation were generally individual men and 
women who believed in and possessed the experience of 
sanctification; but now the time came, in the unfolding of 
God's plan, for holiness to be given specific attention on a 
scale amounting to a general awakening in religious cir- 
cles. The various Protestant sects had about reached 
the heyday of their deplorable rivalry, and it was but 
natural that the unifying influence of holiness, appearing 
in striking contrast to such rivalry, should appeal to all 
true Christians. The movement did indeed, as a rule, 
enlist the most spiritual members of the so-called churches. 

This holiness awakening was a movement that should 
introduce a prophetic day. It was of God. It was not 



1 ]4 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

planned by human agency. Individuals here and there 
of the more earnest and spiritual class of Christians were 
led into the deeper experience altogether independent of 
each other. For some reason they felt impelled to give 
special emphasis to the doctrine of holiness. These tiny 
flames were by some unseen hand fanned into a great con- 
flagration destined to sweep the country. 

A few paragraphs from M. L. Haney's Inheritance 
Restored, published in 1 880, are on this point. 

A number of Christian farmers feel strangely moved to aid in 
the salvation of the perishing, and they plan a laymen's camp- 
meeting, in which the fires of holiness break out. This leads to 
the organization of a Laymen's Holiness Association, and results 
in bringing many hundreds to the joys of pardoned sin and the ex- 
perience of holiness. Three or four ministers are mutually im- 
pressed with the necessity of holding a holiness camp-meeting. 
The seal of God's approval of the service is so manifest that they 
are compelled to go farther. An association is formed for the 
purpose of holding a number of camp-meetings for the promo- 
tion of holiness. The work enlarges till many earnest inquirers 
look to them for specific instruction on the subject ,of holiness. 
To meet this demand, and remain true to God, they are com- 
pelled to furnish these thirsting thousands with specific holiness 
literature. Thus the unexpected springing up of a monthly maga- 
zine, with books and tracts, all teaching the way of Christ's 
cleansing blood. 

One minister, comparatively illiterate, stands alone for years. 
He preaches, and prays, and testifies, and sings, and shouts, as 
here and there a soul is bloodwashed through his ministry. He 
mourns the downward tendency, as the sympathy of his brethren 
seems ofttimes withdrawn; but at last God brings one of them to 
stand by his side. Another, and yet another is added, till God 
has bound three or four souls in bonds of perfect love. The 
obligation to disseminate the gospel of holiness among the people 
of God in all the churches leads them, after much prayer on the 
subject, to publish a paper which shall be the medium of instruc- 
tion on the special doctrine of holiness. Without a dollar, or 
a subscription list, with nothing at the base but unshrinking faith 
in the God who leads, they launch a weekly paper. But God 



THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 1 1 5 

touches the heart of a wealthy layman, and gives him no peace till 
he pledges three thousand dollars for the support of that pa- 
per. . . . 

"God works in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform." 
When God determined to break the chains of slavery he revealed 
to no man the time or methods of its accomplishment. In like 
manner, in the holiness movement, his faithful servants have 
gone "out, not knowing whither they went." The way has been 
so rugged at times that many have turned aside; but God has 
put two in the place of eachl faltering one, and the ranks of the 
holiness army are steadily increasing. 

We call attention to the remarkable fact that the holiness work 
has sprung up simultaneously in different parts of the earth; in 
the east, in the west, in the north, and the south; in the old 
world, and in the new; among Arminians, and among Calvin- 
ists; in cities, in towns, and in country places; indicating an un- 
seen hand and guiding power. 

A mechanic, in Pennsylvania, receives a call from the chap- 
lain of King William's court to come to Germany and teach the 
church of Martin Luther the way of holiness, and four hundred 
learned ministers sit at the feet of a Presbyterian layman to learn 
of holiness in the city of Berlin. A young minister, whom God 
hath baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, completely 
girds the earth with holy song, as 1 he travels to regain his failing 
health. 

One of Wesley's mightiest sons, is sent to the other side of 
the globe to receive this blessed experience, under the instruction 
of a Presbyterian minister. Suddenly an organized army springs 
up in Europe to spread holiness, and the power of Satan is broken 
by its advancing legions. 

A number of holy men and women are compelled by their con- 
victions to make the circuit of the earth, and are invited to preach, 
and sing, and testify to holiness in the shadow of the Vatican. 
Reader, who do you think has planned, and whose hand fs guid- 
ing, this movement? 

The truth is, the holiness movement was a movement 
prophetically due at this time as the introduction to the 
great reformation (restoration) that now succeeds it, in 
which God's people are not only embracing holiness, but 
are taking their stand free and complete in Christ, distinct 



1 1 6 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

from all humanly organized bodies called churches. The 
reader of church history will observe that the progress of 
Christianity has not been by gradual, steady increase of 
light and truth, but by reformation after reformation in 
which some special truth is emphasized and men's hearts 
are stirred. 

Among the early leaders of the movement in this coun- 
try were Dr. W. C. and Phoebe Palmer, of New York. 
Mrs. Palmer, especially, was prominent in this respect. 
She wrote a number of books on holiness and with her 
husband held meetings in various openings in the East 
and was otherwise very active in the cause. William 
Macdonald, John S. Inskip, Daniel Steele, and J. A. 
Wood were others who, both by preaching and the press, 
gave prominence to the doctrine of entire sanctification as 
a second, distinct work of grace. Holiness societies 
sprung up, books were written on the subject, periodicals 
were started, and holiness bands began to canvass the 
country. Well does the writer remember of seeing when a 
boy these holiness bands travel about the country in cov- 
ered wagons. They carried a spiritual fire that caught in 
the hearts of the more fervent ones who, on the barren 
plains of sect religion, were seeking for a higher and bet- 
ter Christian experience. The activity on this line was not 
on the part of the various denominations, as such, but on 
the part of earnest Christians within the denominations. 

Holiness, it must be remembered, is Scriptural, a part 
of God's will to his children, and the movement must not 
be regarded as being something new, but as a revival of 
truth intended for man. Since the attainment of this 
distinct higher experience requires a perfect consecration, 
an entire abandonment, to God, it was but natural that 
the doctrine should be opposed by the pleasure-loving 
church members, those who were Christians only in name 



THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 1 1 7 

and did not care for any advancement or improvement of 
their spiritual status. These, of course, were greatly in 
the majority. The holiness advocates were at once op- 
posed and often persecuted; but silently and surely, as 
leaven works in the meal, the holiness agitation increased 
and spread throughout the country. It was a very un- 
welcome and disturbing element among the cold profes- 
sors. They said that sinlessness was not to be attained in 
this life; that we could not be sanctified till death; etc. 
But when shown by the Scriptures that it is indeed God's 
will for Christians in this life, they would declare that it 
is attained by growth, or perhaps would say they had 
received it in conversion. They were opposed to having 
any further spiritual obligation placed upon them. 

But it was not alone the advocacy of an advanced 
Christian attainment that might well make the holiness 
movement distasteful to sect devotees. Holiness is unify- 
ing. It makes Christians one, in accordance with our 
Savior's prayer: "That they all may be one; as thou, 
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one 
in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" 
(John 17:21). True holiness is destructive of divisional 
elements. That is why the advocates of holiness in the 
different denominations lost to a great extent their sectarian 
bigotry and could join together in holiness associations 
independent of their denominations. As' a general thing 
the holiness editors and teachers spoke against sectarian 
divisions. 

This brings us to the critical point. Would those es- 
pousing holiness dissolve their sect relations? Here is 
where many in the holiness movement compromised and 
would not follow in the onward march of truth out of all 
denominational confusion and into complete oneness in 
Christ. Instead, holiness associations urged and even re- 



1 18 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

quired their members to maintain also a sect membership. 
They seemed to believe sects were a necessary evil and 
they opposed the idea of coming out of sects. This is as 
far as the majority in the holiness movement would go. 
They deplored sects, but seemed to think that to be out- 
side of all sects would be to have no church relation at 
all. Had they walked in the light they would have com- 
prehended the true body of Christ and been led out of 
sectarian entanglements; but failing to follow the true 
leading of God, they receded, and their holiness degene- 
rated into what was mere sect holiness. To this day they 
have their holiness associations and their conventions, but 
fellowshiping as they do the sects and factions of almost 
every description, they are left to grope in their own dark- 
ness and confusion, still making an effort but accomplish- 
ing nothing toward Christian unity. 

Their confusion on the church question is illustrated 
by the following quotation from the salutary address 
adopted by the General Holiness Assembly held in Chi- 
cago in May, 1901 : 

In respect to the matter of church fellowship we observe that 
the church is the institution of Christ, having many members in 
one body, himself being the living Head. He has redeemed it 
with his blood, and engraven it upon the palms of his hands. 
Membership therein is a precious privilege, and always to be 
highly esteemed. Wherever practical, every saved man and 
woman should be connected with some church. 

The first two statements are clear in their reference to 
the true Christian church as the one body of saved people 
everywhere, redeemed by Christ's blood. But when in 
the next breath they urge that "every saved man and 
woman should be connected with some church," as if 
such were not already in the church through redemption 
by Christ's blood, they are talking about something else, 
not the body of Christ. They perhaps do not realize their 



THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 119 

own blindness; but to the one who spiritually discerns the 
true church and its sufficiency for all the people of God, 
their confusion is very apparent. 

The writer had an interview not long since with one 
of the holiness leaders who used to know D. S. Warner 
and who still labors to bring about the unity of Christians 
through a holiness that respects sectarian divisions. This 
man was asked about the prospects for unity after so many 
years of effort. His reply, in which he complained of the 
bigotry existing among the denominations, was anything 
but encouraging. He seemed to have no knowledge of 
a way out of the trouble, and regarded the present true 
church movement as only a sect, or faction, saying that 
"a sect is any body of Christians joined together in the 
same belief," etc. "But suppose a number of persons 
come out from and leave the sects with which they have 
been connected, and stand only on the Bible, independent 
of sects — suppose they assemble together in a body; 
would they be a sect?" he was asked. "Yes," was his 
reply. "Then what about the body of Christ itself, the 
whole, of which sects are regarded as cut-off factions — is 
that a sect?" "Yes," was his answer. And then, as if 
he could know nothing but sects, he referred to Paul as 
calling the Christians in his day a sect, and assumed to 
quote him thus: "For as concerning this sect, we know 
that everywhere it is spoken against" (Acts 28:22). 
He was told that these words were not spoken by Paul, 
but by his opposers. "Well," said he, "I will look that 

M 

up. 

Thus his conception of the subject makes the true 
church impossible. When men have been forty years in 
the ministry and in the holiness movement, and are just 
as far from discerning the church as when they started., 
and even suppose that Paul called the Christians a sect, 



120 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

how blinding and confusing must be the darkness in 
which they grope! Having failed to follow in God's way 
when came the call, "Come out of her, my people," they 
have been building with wood, hay, and stubble a struc- 
ture that only awaits the consumption at the last day. 

v But not so all who were engaged in the holiness move- 
ment. God had a remnant whom he was leading en- 
tirely out of spiritual Babylon, who were returning to 
Zion over the highway of holiness, with singing and ever- 
lasting joy in their hearts. Holiness led them to the 
threshold of a brighter day, and they did not stop, but 
passed over. Keeping in the light they retained true holi- 
ness and all that God had given them. Thus, coming out 
of the holiness movement and embodying its true elements, 
is a movement that not only upholds holiness, but re- 
pudiates sectarianism and represents the true Christian 
unity that Christ prayed for. It holds and knows Christ 
as the only head of the body, and as complete, in all 
things, to the church. 

It was through the workers in the holiness movement 
that Bro. D. S. Warner was made to face squarely the 
issue of holiness. His rejection of holiness in his earlier 
ministry may have been because of its poor representation 
on the part of professors; or, in other words, because his 
introduction to it was not such as would cause him to 
think seriously of its claims. When he comprehended 
that it was the line on which God was particularly work- 
ing, he was not slow in being led into the light and ex- 
perience and becoming an ardent advocate of the doctrine. 
Meeting with opposition from the so-called church of 
God, to which he belonged, and finally being expelled 
from the West Ohio Eldership, his associations were to 
a great extent with the holiness bands and societies. 
Among these he stood prominent. 

Of the holiness editors who were contemporary with 



THE HOLINESS AWAKENING 121 

Brother Warner were John P. Brooks, of the Banner of 
Holiness, Bloomington, 111. ; George Hughes, of the 
Guide to Holiness, New York ; Isaiah Reid, of the High- 
way, Nevada, Iowa; and T. K. Doty, of the Christian 
Harvester, Cleveland. There were also a number of 
others. Brother Warner himself came to be an editor 
and to have an acquaintance with nearly all the editors 
and prominent workers of his day. 

As a delegate from Rome City, Ind., he attended the 
Western Union Holiness Convention, held at Jackson- 
ville, 111., Dec. 15-19, 1880. George D. Watson, who 
was a prominent holiness leader and author, was president 
of the convention. Brother Warner was appointed to the 
committee on program, serving with four others. He was 
slated for and delivered an address on the subject, The 
Kind of Power Needed to Carry the Holiness Work. 

At the close of the convention he was placed on a com- 
mittee of seven to confer and decide relative to the call- 
ing of a future convention of holiness workers in the West, 
with authority to issue a call for such a meeting, if they 
deemed it necessary. Thus he stood prominent in the 
holiness movement. 



1 Ought to Love My Savior. 



D. S. Warner. 



J. C. Fisher. 



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IX 

A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 

The attainment of the experience of perfect holiness 
led Brother Warner into a new and enlarged field of min- 
isterial activity. Since the time had come for a reformation 
along the line of holiness, when it was the divine plan that 
the subject be made prominent, we should expect Brother 
Warner, as one of God's ministers, to make sanctification 
his principal theme and at once to begin preaching it. He 
began writing articles on sanctification for the Church Ad- 
vocate, the denominational organ. Also he began writ- 
ing with a view of publishing a tract or booklet on the sub- 
ject of sanctification. He was thus placed in a new field, 
with a new issue to defend. New lines were drawn in his 
ministerial relations, as there was opposition from many 
along a line that had not existed before.* 

As his diary covers the events of his life at this point 
we will let him again speak for himself. The reader 
will remember, of course, that these are but selections, 
as he wrote something for every day and the accounts are 
too full to quote in their entirety. He was at this time on 
the Ashland circuit, with his home in the Vermillion Col- 
lege building, near Hayesville. He had been taking a 
special course of study at the College, but as he beheld 
the need of the evangelistic field in greater proportion 
than ever, he felt it his duty thereafter to give less atten- 
tion to study and more to his ministerial calling. 

July 14, 1877. Wrote, meditated, and prayed most all day 

*His profession of holiness soon brought him to conflict with 
the leaders in the church. Speaking of the period of 1875-80, Dr. 
Forney says in his History of the Church of God: "During several 
of these years the Eldership was contending against inroads of 
heresies advocated by D. S. Warner. 1 It had finally to resort to 
the old remedy of excision in order to prevent the spread of the 
disease and restore the body to go<od health." 



124 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

with only the Lord present. Commenced article for the Advocate 
on sanctification. 

15. Quite sick this morn. As the holiness meeting [near 
Upper Sandusky] was interrupted by an appointment by a Dunker 
preacher this A. M., we all went to Rock Run to hear Brother 
Smith, but he absolutely required of me that I preach for him. 
I was very weak; but thinking it was of the Lord I committed 
all to God and expected his aid. Text: "They shall not hurt 
nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 65). 
The Lord helped me to show the dear people some of the Scrip- 
ture and reasons for the second work of grace, and that as soon 
as we merged up into the holy mountain, love, union, and peace 
prevailed without alloy. May God bless the truth.; There was 
great attention. Some questions were asked at the close of dis- 
course, all pleasantly, however. Oh, that God would lead the 
dear people on to perfection! 

20. The Ohio State Hqliness Convention met last night in 
Marion on the fair ground. Will continue several days. I should 
be happy to attend, but the Spirit seems to direct us to return 
and lift up the banner of holiness on our field of labor. Hence 
we started this morn for home, the weather pleasant. Having 
brought feed and dinner we stopped under a, shade tree and ate 
our dinner and enjoyed a pleasant rest and communion with God. 

25. [At Hayes ville.] School begins today. Busy at do- 
mestic duties. 

26. Wrote, read, and communed with the Lord. 

27. Still writing on sanctification. The Lord is giving me 
much light. Praise his name! Met with the Excelsior Society. 
Read a lecture on pneumatics. 

28. Finished my second article on sanctification. 

29. Sabbath. Arose as soon as daylight. Spent some time 
with the Lord. Started about seven for Mansfield. Met a few 
hungry souls. The Lord wonderfully baptized my soul from the 
time I entered his house. Glory! glory! glory! Oceans of love 
flow through my soul. Oh, how inexpressibly sweet and joyful! 
Read part of Acts 21. After giving myself anew into the hands 
of God I proceeded to talk from Acts 21:14. The Lord so 
greatly led me out on his work in us that I did not get to the last 
two points, namely, his will done with us, and his will done by us. 
Praise the Lord, he so abundantly fills my mouth with holiness 
that I can not get to anything else to say. 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 125 

Had a long talk with a sister of the Church of God who was 
mortified over my going to the altar; to seek sanctification. She 
thought I must have been backslidden or something. I told her 
that something was wanting, but I knew very well what ailed me. 
I had been in need of the sanctifying power of God and, glory to 
Jesus, I have found it. She thought that she was fully sanctified 
when she was converted. I replied that if that were so her ex- 
perience differed from that of the first converts to Christ, as well 
as that of the Corinthians, the Ephesians, the Thessalonians, etc. 
To this she could make no reply but that it was to be attained by 
growth, but I reminded her that God was to do the work. 

Aug. 3, 1877. This morn went into the Lord's camp. Dr. 
Steele, from New York, was reading his interesting Bible lessons, 
giving the benefit of the Greek and Dean Alford. Very instruc- 
tive. Was happy to meet several brethren of my acquaintance 
from Crawford County and elsewhere. Thank God, they are on 
the holiness line. 

4. Went out to camp at 5:30 A. M. Prayer-meeting in the 
tabernacle. Stayed all day on the ground, or until afternoon 
preaching by Brother Rice, who (probably unknown to the Metho- 
dist Episcopal ministers) had his license taken from him two days 
before by the Northwest Ohio Conference for preaching holiness. 
He gave us a straight, close-hewing sermon on sanctification. 
He did not preach holiness for the glory of Methodism, as some 
others seemed somewhat inclined to do. Some were much dis- 
pleased at his exposure of the opposition to holiness in the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Came home this eve. Found dear Wife 
and child well. 

8. Sister Ella Snyder called on us. She was visiting at 
Brother McKey's, who, by the way, is a strong opposer of entire 
sanctification. Ella soon began talking on the subject and talking 
somewhat differently from what she did on last Sabbath. We 
think it probable that she had just been receiving the teaching 
of some one outside of the second work. She treated the subject 
with much lightness. Before she left we bowed in prayer, at 
the close of which she fell powerless on the floor. I raised her 
head, asked her if she was sick. She said not. Looked strange 
and confounded. Prayed some and confessed that the hand of 
God was upon her. Wife asked her if she was now sanctified. 
She replied that she knew not where she was. She grasped my 
hand very firmly. I raised her up, asked Sarah to support her; but 



126 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

she would not loosen her hold. As I endeavored to give her over to 
Wife, she gripped my hand the harder. ."--"• 

she could not stand. We dropped her into a rocking-chair and 
s : : r. k r. e e . e z ? i = : r . r : e 5 he prayed constantly to God for 
a "c.ean heart," "sanctification." etc. Her full consciousness had 
hardly recovered when she said she had to go, as her party were 
•raiting on her. Sarah accompanied her a piece and left her 
looking very solemn. I pray God to lead her to the clear.sir.r 
fountain. 

12. Sabbath. Beautiful morn. Was up early and in counsel 
with the Lord. Soon received my text, 1 Thess. 5:24. Observed 
that this text forever took away all excuse of inability; that it 
laid down a principle which converted all the commands of God 
into promises ; that every thing unto which the Lord called us he 
would work in us. Applying the subject, as the apostle did, to 
entire sanctification, I defended the distinct work by experience, 
reason, and "thus saith the Lord." The Lord powerfuly blessed 
the testimony of my dear wife before preaching, and I believe 
that seed of truth has been sown in the hearts of the people. 
Went home with B:o. Jacob Freed, Brother and Sister Long, and 
others. We talked some on holiness. Brother Long opposed it 
by denying inherited depravity, which he did after my discourse 
today in the pulpit. Much of the afternoon was spent in the 
closet and private walks with the Lord. Oh, how much I prefer 
the company of the Lord to any other! 

16. [At Eldership convention. Place not stated.] Met at 
half-past eight. Half hour devotion. Topic: Proper Home In- 
fluence: Duly of Parents to ["hen Children. The Spirit cf the 
Lord deeply impressed this subject upon the minds of all. Hearts 
were melted. Tears flowed for unsaved children of ministers 
and rr.err.re ; . Unconverted souls and backsliders were deeply 
affected. The Lord converted the convention wholly into an 
effort to save souls. Fervent prayers were offered, exhortations 
and tears, invitation hymns were sung (the organ was forgotten), 
and all the congregation was deeply stirred. A few souls arose 
and asked prayers. The unconverted children of Brothers . . . 
were especially prayed for. Oh, how I praised God that the dear 
brethren were willing to let the Spirit lead the meeting! The 
whole forenoon was given to devotion. 

18. Spent the day in writing, reading, and prayer. P. M., 
long talk with Brother Mitchell and Sister Shriner on 'sanctifica- 
tion. Brother M. talks reasonably; Sister S. is hostile to the 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 127 

blessed truth, but of course it Is through ignorance. She thought 
I should leave the Church of God at once and not destroy it by 
my doctrine of holiness, having actual fears of holiness. Oh, I 
hope and pray to God to lead my dear brethren on to this heart- 
perfection. Would to God they understood this blessed full salva- 
tion! Nothing but wrong notions of perfect holiness or an evil 
spirit can oppose entire sanctification, as it does not in the least 
disturb or conflict with any doctrine of the church. It allows 
all that the Bible or any man attributes to regeneration. Instead 
of depreciating, it has greatly magnified justification. 

19. Sabbath. At ten a funeral procession arrived from 
Rome, bringing a sweet little angel form, Bertha Estella Curtis, 
the only child of Z. H. Curtis, of Van Wert County. As their 
parents reside at Rome, they brought the child back there for 
burial. Brother Wilson preached an impressive discourse from 
Job: "Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of 
trouble." We laid the little form away and tried to comfort the 
young parents and friends. 

Came to Shenandoah. Brother Burchard preached from: 
"Christ has left us an example that we should follow his steps." 
With his usual earnestness he urged! all to live a whole-hearted 
Christian life. I wish the dear brother would learn to bring dear 
souls to the blood that cleanses from all sin, instead of infusing 
strength and zeal to fight inbred corruption. Recently I talked 
with this brother on the subject of sanctification. I had a convic- 
tion of mind that he knew something about it. He confessed 
that after seeking for mercy for three days the load of guilt and 
condemnation fell from his heart and he testified to the pardon 
of his sins. (This I remember myself.) But soon he found him- 
self wanting before God. Then began another struggle for de- 
liverance from something (he knew not what, as he felt no more 
guilt) that greatly disturbed his peace and shut out the smiles 
of God's face. After one week's prayer, and dedication of self 
and all he had to God, he "sank down in all the depth of humility 
and nothingness that was possible for him to conceive of." God 
wonderfully blessed him with perfect light, peace, and love. 
What was this but entire sanctification? But for want of being 
better taught he calls this his conversion. Strange confused the- 
ology. The idea of pardon one week before conversion! I pray 
God to show this brother his mistake and renew him in the bless- 
ing of perfect holiness. 



128 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

21. Sent out about twenty-five cards of invitation in the mail. 
People began to come in to the reunion here at the College. 

22. College yard filled. Some; good speakers, but about all 
chaff and vainglory, ministers and lawyers alike using their brains 
to evolve some trashy nonsense to tickle the ears of the foolish. 
I was quite unwell. Eve, much reduced,, but went out to Ver- 
million, where I met a few precious souls and preached that men 
should "trust in the Lord," and in trying to do so myself I was 
blessed with strength to preach about forty minutes. 

26. Sabbath. The Lord helped me to set forth his great 
power to save from all sin in this life. Went home with Brp. 
David Donelson's. Conversed on holiness, spent much time in 
secret prayer. Was impressed to preach on holiness, yet felt sure 
that the church did not want to hear it; but I knew there was 
some hungry soul there that did want it. . . . The church here 
is quite strong numerically and there is much good material. Oh, 
that all these vessels of the Lord would be purged, sanctified, 
made fit for the Master's use, prepared unto every good work! 
Drove home, arriving at nearly one o'clock. 

27. Arose in good time, feeling greatly refreshed in the Lord. 
Helped to get ready to go to Shenandoah. 

28. Sister Shriner isi boiling over with railing toward God's 
pure little ones,. Glory to God! he has "saved me from the 
strife of tongues." Christ kept me, in imitation of his own exam- 
ple, from answering a word;, It were folly indeed to try to talk 
holiness where there is no appetite but for carnal contention. 
Thank the Lord for this wisdom. 

29. Fasted and prayed today. Father N seems very cold 

and unsociable toward us. Probably the enemy has put something 
in his heart. I sank very deep down in the great ocean of God's 
love and goodness this morning. Had inexpressible conceptions 
of the wonders of salvation. Visited at Brother Kline's. I spent 
about all the time on my knees in prayer, which I love most to 
do. 

30. Sold my mare and colt to Mother Wolf for $130. 

Sept. 1, 1877. Elmer Wolf tjook me part of the way to Mans- 
field. I gave up the faithful Mattie and little Billy to him. 
Walked a few miles and was overtaken by a kind man who took 
me in his buggy to town. Called at a few places. Spent much 
of the time in prayer, Eve, preached the gospel of perfect sal- 
vation. 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 129 

2. Met in a holiness prayer-meeting at 5:30 A. M. Took 
some breakfast. Stayed much on my knees before God. At 
10:30 A. M. met, and tried to talk to the people from Eph. 3:20. 
Then we went to a small stream at the west side of the city and 
had the happy privilege of immersing .... They all enjoy 
entire sanctification. Never before did I feel the solemnity of the 
ordinance as now. How unworthy I regarded myself to imitate 
my blessed Master* especially in immersing those whom he had 
led far out into the ocean of his perfect love! We sang a hymn, 
then knelt down upon the green sod and called upon the Lord, 
who was so 1 very sensibly near to us. The day had been very 
dark and dreary, the sun not having shone through the clouds 
since early morn. But now the gentle hand of God brushed the 
clouds aside and sent down upon; us the most glorious and bril- 
liant streams of light that I ever witnessed. Sister F was 

the last of the three. She has been walking with God upon the 
strait highway 1 of holiness for some years and her whole life is 
swallowed up in God alone. Though the sun was shining bril- 
liantly, yet as she arose from the water I was impressed that a 
light shone upon us "above the brightness of the sun." She 
stood calmly gazing upward for a moment, with the light of God 
beaming from her face. I gave way to the impression that the 
occasion ancfl circumstances had made on my mind and spoke of 
the heavenly light, which I still supposed was natural; but she 
afterward informed me that it was more than sunshine — rays 
of glory. The whole assembly was awed into reverence, and a 
strange feeling of sacredness pervaded all our minds. How 
applicable the words of the prophet: "Arise, shine, for thy light 
has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee"! 

3. Took train for Perryville to begin a holiness meeting at 
the Brubaker Bethel. A pretty good crowd assembled. I tried 
to teach them their rights in the gospel, taking special pains to 
admonish the brethren and sisters not to allow the enemy of their 
souls to stir up bitterness and hatred in their hearts against the 
way of perfect holiness, assuring them that this way was so hated 
by the devil that if possible he would overthrow the best of 
Christians and set them foaming and raging mad against the pure 
in heart and true holiness. I was surprized to learn that since 
my last visit here the enemy had already begun to work, fearing 
the destruction of his kingdom. 

6. Meeting nearly all day. Satan still angry. Small stones 
were thrown into the house from the door and windows. Two 



130 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

brethren ventured to speak. The first took occasion to unload his 
mind of many grievous objections and charges against the holi- 
ness work, and sat down much humiliated when he saw that his 
harsh speeches only elicited pleasant smiles and kind words from 
the sanctified. The second said he did not endorse what his 
brother had saidj but still could not see this second work. Both 
asked for "thus saith the Lord." . . . 

7. Fasted and worshiped God all day. Met at 1 A. M. and 
continued until 4 P. M. Just before closing we engaged in prayer 
to God for my perfect healing. I was wonderfully strengthened 
both in body and faith. Walked about one mile over hills to 
find places for God's little ones, then 1 drove to Loudonville and 

Brother L and I ate some refreshment, about 5 P. M., at the 

baker's, I not having eaten anything since the day before at noon. 
Glory to God, I felt no weakness. 

8. Drove back to the Ridge. Found God's little ones there 
at noon and no food, and no encouragement to go anywhere for 
dinner. We sent to Perryville and got some provisions, but be- 
fore it came we had begun afternoon meeting, and cared but 
little for the bread that perisheth. 

9. Sabbath. In the saving strength of the Lord, Wife, child, 
and I walked to Vermillion. Went the two and one half miles 
with scarcely any fatigue. Now began the eruption of a volcano 
in the form of a preacher, even my beloved colleague [W. H. 
Oliver] . The red-hot lava of scorn, scoff, and persecution, yea, 
words of slang fit only for the worldly rabble, poured forth about 
two hours, all against those whom the blood had washed whiter 
than snow.; Glory to God, I only added that I thanked my holy 
Savior I was counted worthy to suffer persecution and reproach 
for his name's sake. Praise God, he keeps me in a storm as well 
as in the calm. We came to Brother Ford's. Sister Ella Snyder 
came along, and after she and Sarah had a good talk, we had 
prayer together, and, praise the Lord, he sanctified her soul and 
body. 

I came to Hayesville, where an appointment had been an- 
nounced for me at 3 P. M. By the help of the Lord I talked from 
1 Thess. 5 : 24. Glory to God, the truth went home to the heart. 

Rode most of the way back with Father McQ . Poor old 

man tried to pick a quarrel with me on baptism. I finally calmed 
his nerves by singing The Precious Blood Has Reached Me. 
Shut myself up with God until meeting. Found the church mostly 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 131 

displeased with the harangue of the forenoon. Good speaking- 
meeting. Wife testified boldly to the second work and admon- 
ished the church. Sister Snyder, whom the Lord smote down in 
my room some time ago, and who entered into rest this day, also 
testified to her entire sanctiAcation. I talked to the people about 
twenty minutes from Acts 5:28-39. Oh, how sweetly the Spirit 
led me and talked through me! Some shouting. 

10. My soul was very happy today. It appears that I only 
begin to realize the glorious work that God has done for me. 
I do thank God for the test of yesterday. Lord, try me in 
every way and see if there is any evil way in me ! I do praise the 
Lord that I can not feel the slightest ill will in my heart against 
the persecutor. May the Lord enlighten, humble, and save him. 
I suppose he really thinks like Paul, the persecutor, did, that 
he is doing God service. 

13. I walked over to Sister Smith's and called to invite her 
to the meeting. Had a season of prayer with her and family. As I 
was about to start she asked if I did not wish to sell my buggy. 
I told her I did. So she gave me a beast to ride to Shenandoah 
and bring the buggy back on my return. Thank the Lord, this 
is his kind dealing with me. Eve, abstained from supper, as I 
commonly do when I have services. Good full house. Delivered 
my farewell discourse to the people of Shenandoah. Acts 20. 
Brother Oliver was present, and was so much annoyed when I 
addressed the few little ones whom the Lord has perfected in love 
that he could not compose himself and sit in one position three 
seconds. God pity any one thus mad against the work of God. 

14. Met a Brother and Sister Daily, from Morrow County. 
I enquired of that country as a missionary field and heard of 
some destitute localities, where the Lord may send me to win 
souls for Jesus. Came to Shenandoah, thence to Brother M. 
Bell's, south of town. Visited until 5 P. M. Poor man thinks 
it impossible to get rid of the Adamic nature while we live. So 
"because of unbelief they entered not in." Had a season of 
prayer with the family and twice interviewed the Lord in the 
pleasant woods near by. Glory to Jesus, he is near, yea, reign- 
ing in me most preciously today. Came over to Paul's. Found 
that they had been in expectation of me all day. Prayed with 
and encouraged them to stedfastness. 

15. Ate some* breakfast this morn with the design of fasting 
the rest of the day. Desired much to visit some, but felt the 
importance of shutting myself up with the Lord, so I did, and 



132 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

was greatly blessed. At 2 P. M. we met in the grove and had 
a profitable little meeting. Brother Oliver, by my request, again 
preached. 

16. Sabbath. Early this morn I went to the beautiful grove 
prepared for services. Spent a long time upon my knees there 
in prayer and reading His Word. At ten people convened. Had 
a good speaking-meeting. Then Brother Oliver preached on Eph. 
3:14, 15. Preached over an hour on Christian union. I am sick 
of hearing union thrown at the people with the sling of depravity. 
Might as well go into a drove of sheep and expect to get them 
all into a solid mass by pounding them around with a club. It 
can but scatter more. 

I took dinner with Brother and Sister Ferguson on the ground, 
then went off into the woods nearly a half mile and stayed with 
the Lord alone until 2:30 P. M., the time for preaching. The 
Spirit directed me to read and talk upon 1 Corinthians 1 3. Though 
I said scarcely anything but what every true Christian can endorse, 
yet Brother Oliver tpok occasion to put in about a half hour 
opposing holiness as a distinct work of God. Poor soul, he is 
greatly disturbed with the subject of perfect love. Went home 
with Brother and Sister Tomlinson and Brother and Sister Crum. 
They were anxious to learn of the way of holiness. Had prayer 
together and some supper. I walked to the Bethel, found it full 
and Brother Oliver preaching. 

Brother 0. took me in hand on holiness; asked me many 
questions, made grievous charges, and wanted me to Jeave what 
he termed "my theory." Asked me if I was going to continue 
preaching as I have for the past months. I told him that I would 
continue to teach all the light I had received and as much more 
as the Lord would give. I patiently heard his long heckling 
and thanked him. As he finished he drew from his pocket a paper 
and handed it to me. My first impression was that it was a note 
that someone had sent to me, but as soon as I took it I felt the 
Spirit of God go through my whole being and I knew that it 
was something from which God would bring great good to my 
soul and his cause. I thanked him and put it in my pocket. 
Came to Brother Stoner's and got my beast and buggy and drove 
to Brother Wolfe's. Stopping for some things there I took a 
moment to read the portentous paper I had received. I read as 
follows: 

September 15, 1877. 

The following charges are preferred against Elder D. S. Warner: 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 133 

First. For inviting a sect of fanatics calling themselves the 
Holy Alliance Band to hold meetings in the local Churches of God 
without consulting the elders or trustees or myself. 

Second. For joining in with these said band and bidding them 
God speed and thereby bringing schism and division among those 
churches. 

Third. For the accommodation of this professed holy band 
that he invited to hold a meeting of ten days in the Church of God 
chapel in Mansfield. Elder D. S. Warner did on the evening of the 
8th of July in less than one hour hold the ordinances of washing 
the saints' feet and the Lord's Supper attended to. 

Fourth. For stating publicly in Shenandoah, about the 26th 
of August, that he had been preaching his own doctrine prior to 
seeking his so called holiness. 

W. H. Oliver. 

I thanked God and put the paper away without saying a word. 
Bid all farewell, including Delia Oliver, whom I invited to come 
and visit us. I drove to Sister Smith's, twelve miles. The night 
was beautiful and light, and my soul was happy. I praised God 
all the way and was too happy to sleep when I retired about 
12 o'clock. Of these charges I feel as Joseph told his brethren: 
"Ye thought evil in your hearts, but God meant it all for good, 
for you see how much people he hath saved from death by the 
famine." 

To the first charge I say: Thank God that calling people 
hard names does not make them such, but only shows the de- 
pravity of the accuser. No band was invited, but simply persons 
from different localities who enjoyed holiness. 

Second. The charge of schism is without the least shadow of 
foundation. Through the mercy of God a few souls have been 
sanctified from their pride, etc., and qualified to be useful in the 
church. 

[The answer to the third charge is omitted from the journal. 
Perhaps an oversight.] 

Fourth. This is a mistake. I simply said that on sanctifica- 
tion I used to preach what I believed, but now I am able to 
testify that I know. 

21. [At Canton camp-meeting.] A. M., Brother Oliver 
tried to preach, being very hoarse. After preaching a brother 
presented a call for money for Brother Oliver's horse. I joyfully 
took a paper and solicited for him with his paper of charges 



134 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

in my pocket. Thank God for entire sanctification. P. M., I 
addressed the people from 1 Thess. 4:1. By the help of God 
a portion of the discourse was given to testifying and teaching 
entire sanctification. Brother Petra followed in German with a 
cross-fire. Brother James followed him with his mixed talk, 
part of the time seeming to endorse me and the other Brother P. 
Oh, how much waste of time for the want of seeking a definite 
experience and then being able to "give the trumpet a certain 
sound!" Brother James announced that in the evening he 
would preach from, "This is the will of God, even your sancti- 
fication." I prayed God to keep him from opposing the truth 
and, thank His name, he talked only to sinners and said little on 
the text. 

24. [Canton camp-meeting.] I thank God that I came to 
this meeting. I have never in all my life met so much good, 
old-fashioned, plain, humble, Holy Ghost religion. What a 
kind-hearted people! God bless them. After long time was spent 
in sobs and farewell greetings around a large assembly of people 
who were solemnly touched by the deepness of the feeling, we 
marched around in single file again singing, "We are traveling to 
the New Jerusalem." Then we gathered in front of the stand, 
and as we stood singing, the Holy Spirit came upon us and there 
was wonderful shouting in the camp by sisters, about all young, 
single ones, who were carried entirely off in the Spirit. We 
did not get away from the sacred altar until about 2 o'clock at 
night, so greatly did the Spirit rest on the camp of the dear 
saints. 

25. Arose greatly refreshed. Went to the camp for breakfast 
once more, after we all bowed in the tent to worship God. Had 
a precious stroll and season of prayer out on the camp-ground. 
Returning, met Bro. Milton S — , a very faithful young man. 
I read in his face some very unfortunate misgivings, and told 
him the same, to his surprize. I gave him nearly an hour's 
lecture on the evils of violating and perverting physical laws, 
also on self-culture and mental improvement. The dear brother 
was lost for language to thank me for the favor. He was 
wonderfully teachable, and urged me never to miss an opportun- 
ity to instruct and admonish persons in his condition. 

Brother James and I started for Middle Branch, where I had 
an appointment. We stopped with Sister Lucy, ate a dish of 
peaches and cream, and had a season of prayer. Rather small 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 135 

congregation, and they rather sleepy from having been up so 
late last night at camp-meeting. 

On the 27th Brother Warner went to attend the Elder- 
ship meeting at Smithville. He says that on account of 
insufficient pure air in the house he did not remain in much 
of the time. He also says, on the 28th, that "Brother 
James was taken into the ecclesiastical mill today." On 
the third day of the session Brother Warner was called 
upon for his report of the year's work. He reported 203 
sermons, 68 converts, 66 accessions, 40 immersed. There 
were 1 64 members in good standing, whereas there were 
75 when he took charge two years previous. Proceed- 
ing in his journal, for the 29th he says: 

Reported that God had fully saved and sanctified me, and that 
I was under the necessity to preach that precious truth to the 
glory of Jesus; that I desired to cooperate with the Church of 
God; could not exchange truth for truth but must walk in all 
the light of God. The Holy Spirit rested on me in power, and 
tears flowed freely all over the congregation. Praise God for his 
power and presence! Brother Oliver then arose and made 
known to the body that he had charges against me. The 
speaker appointed ... a committee to investigate my case. Brother 
0. subpenaed a large number of witnesses, many of whom knew 
absolutely nothing about the case. I told the body that I had 
never informed but three persons about the charges against me, 
had asked no witnesses but had committed my whole case to 
God; however, if anyone felt directed by the Spirit to appear 
in defense of the cause of God and holiness they should meet 
with us. We went at once to Brother Z — 's office and began 
the investigation. 

I felt greatly impressed with the need of prayer and hoped 
these dear old saints would not begin such a solemn work with- 
out invoking the Holy Spirit's guidance. But I was disap- 
pointed, as they opened the business at once. Even after in- 
vestigation began I felt that I must go to God on my knees; but 
I did not, as I had no control of business. Yet I did wrong 
in not demanding the right of prayer. I also lost power to con- 
duct myself with that calmness and sweetness that I had been 
so ardently wishing from the Lord, though I felt no such thing 



136 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

as a roiled temper for one second for all the hard aspersions 
and carnal accusations thrown at me. Yet I did sometimes 
speak when I should have kept silent, as my blessed Master did. 

What was my astonishment when Elder 0. read letters from 
Vermillion and Brubaker's signed by about all the church, 
charging me with insanity whenever I touched on sanctification, 
also with causing division and schism in the churches and every 
evil work imaginable! As I heard the names of the dear brethren 
read over that were appended to those letters I had strange 
feelings. I truly felt myself in a queer world. Never in my life 
did my reasoning powers receive such a dreadful shock. I felt 
myself sinking, then looked to Jesus and all was calm and peace- 
ful again. I asked Brother 0. who had got up those letters. 
"They are headed respectively from the Vermillion and Bru- 
baker churches to the Eldership. Please tell the Committee 
whether the elders have written them or who." Brother 0. 
looked very much confused and refused to answer. I demanded 
an answer. The Committee sustained me. Then with shame 
and confusion he confessed that they were both written by him. 
I told him that it was all right and thanked him for his trouble. 

Brother Roller, elder from Vermillion, who confessed to me 
that at the ordinance-meeting he was ashamed of Elder O's two- 
hour harangue of abuse against the work of "perfecting the 
saints," being present, was then called to the witness-stand. 
After he stated in direct examination that I was insane on sanc- 
tification, I asked him to inform the Committee what the mani- 
festations of my insanity were. He gave the following three 
points, which I record to his shame: 

First. "You hesitated to proceed to preach once at Ver- 
million, stating that you wished to be led by the Spirit in the 
selection of a subject and that if the Spirit wished you not to 
preach you would read the Word, talk experience, or be silent, 
as the Spirit directed." 

Second. "You do not act as you used to. At our ordinance- 
meeting you sat back, and I believe Brother Oliver had to in- 
vite you forward." Brother 0. concurred in this remark. But 
I then appealed to them if it was not a fact that I came down 
from the pulpit immediately after closing my remarks and led 
in the preparation and observance of feet-washing. Then he 
remarked that it was at the Brick, on Brother Lynn's charge, 
and Brother 0. was not there at all, and that it was after feet- 
washing Brother Lynn stepped to me and asked me to assist 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 137 

in the Lord's Sapper (which was perfectly proper for me — to 
for an invitation). 
Third. "You do not preach as load on sanctihcation as you 

to preach, bat you are more low and calm." 
These were his only reasons for the assertion of my insanity. 
Brother NEtchell only stated that some young people asked him 
"•.--.i: i.s z::::.t: '■'- '-.:z±:. r.t z:±< -:: zrtiz'r. is r_e:e:.:::re." 
hence conc lu d ed that I was partly insane. Brother 0. said all 
he could to taint the character of the holiness workers. Many of 
were never answered. It is of no use to give par- 
only this, that I was grateful to God for these hery 
and though the Lord kept me from an evil thought, yet 
I was conwiom of great weakness and most say to my shame 
that I did not keep that perfect calmness and sweetness in the 
midst of the storm of unexpected accusation. However, I came 
i another perfect evidence that 'the very God of peace had 
•.•.-:..;.." I ...is tz:.:ty ::tt ~::~ :r.t tn: :.i:z 
against any of my brethren. Glory to God, I felt good 
l.zzz i... L:-:iez _;:- -_itL- ef:r.i :: zzzd-tzzz zzt izz 
the holiness cause as sprmghi 
in. and a bond zeal to protect the 
happy sooL Related a few points of the 
developed before the committee and then we concluded that it 
dU not nwmstrr grace to talk about them, hence we had a sweet 
season of w wJnp and lay down and slept sweetly until morn. 
30. Sabbath. Arose early and sought the Lord. Spent 
about all my time with God and my Bile until 10 A. VL. then 
went up to the Bethel to speakh^-meeting, and heard Oder 
T. Ffickernd make a long speech of caution to brethren who 
seemed to have been Jntgtng at sanctified ones. He made tins 
seaside remark: "You who claim to have been fully 
at conversion, be careful that yoa do not prove 
false by picking and p q willing those who have the 
experience." At half-past ten went to the Methods* Episcopal 
house of worship, where a large congregation had assembled to 
hear me speak on perfect holiness. I felt more like ^ < -T*"g 
small comer. A number of the brethren were pres- 
to sit back and try to criticize. Yea. these were 
and about aD of them left before the sermon dosed. 
But there were several others who came to learn and who gave 
dose attention and were compelled to sanction the truth. The 
Lord wonderfully baptized my soul and aD the lovers of truth 





138 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

and holiness. I believe I never before spoke with such power 
and liberty. Glory to God, he so freely poured his Spirit upon 
us that it filled the whole house. After services, Brother Oliver's 
daughter came forward and told us that she enjoyed the blessing 
of entire sanctiflcation. She said she was wonderfully strength- 
ened and wished that her father were fully saved. 

We went to Brother Baker's for dinner. Brother Torbet, the 
Methodist minister, was also with us. We enjoyed a good season 
in reading some good holiness works, such as Dr. Steele's Love 
Enthroned, and prayer, then came to meet at the Bethel at 
2: 30 P. M. Went to the home of Brother Oliver's daughter. 
Her father was to come also, but seeing us go there, or for some 
other cause, went elsewhere. The poor woman is very unfor- 
tunately married, but Christ is her only true companion. Eve, 
Brother Updike preached with all his might (his usual style) on 
Christ a teacher. We then observed the ordinances. 

Oct. 1, 1877. Committee on my case reported "charges sus- 
tained," but recommended me favorably to the body for license 
with this restriction only, that I do not bring holiness workers 
or any outside elements to hold a meeting anywhere in the 
Churches of God without their consent. This I readily con- 
sented to, as a meeting thus appointed could do n,o good, or but 
little. I also, unsolicited, apologized for the appointment of 
some meetings in the past which to my surprize proved offensive 
to the churches. 

The report was adopted and my license renewed. Thank the 
Lord! However, I had perfect peace on the whole matter, and 
had my license been withheld I would equally have given God 
thanks. Glory to Jesus! 

Was out much of the day talking with brethren on perfect love, 
etc. The brethren from Stark circuit again called me out and 
consulted me about taking their circuit. I told them if they 
could stand perfect holiness and all the counsel of God preached, 
they might apply for me, and I would leave it all with the Lord 
and the Eldership. This eve I gave a concise account of my ex- 
perience of justification and sanctification. At a late hour the 
Eldership closed with a report of the Stationing Committee. I 
was assigned to the Stark circuit, consisting of Canton, New 
Berlin, Middle Creek, and Stump's Bethel. Thank the Lord! 
His ways are not our ways. I had built much on free mission- 
ary work, but he knows best. I committed it all to him, besought 
him to prevent my appointment to a circuit if he did not wish 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 139 

me to take one, even by cutting off my license if no other way; 
and now I receive this appointment of the Lord, and by his 
blessing and power I hope he will make his Word to run and be 
glorified in the salvation of hundreds of souls. 

Following this decision of the Stationing Committee, 
Brothei and Sister Warner had the task of changing their 
place of abode, which in their work they had so many 
times to do. Their belongings were certainly not many, 
nevertheless the work of packing and the obtaining of some 
means of conveying their goods to the station was left 
generally for them to attend to. His literary society about 
this time gave an entertainment at the College, but he 
with Sister Warner preferred to attend a holiness meeting 
about four miles distant. Of this meeting he thus speaks: 

3. Met Brother Ackers, from Bucyrus, whom I had not met 
before. He is a wonderful specimen of God's great salvation, 
raised from the delirium tremens to perfect holiness and mighty 
faith. 

7. Brother Ackers testified for God that the happiest moment 
he ever saw was when he found he had lost all his property and 
had not a dollar left, though he had been a wealthy merchant 
in Bucyrus. I was led to testify how the Lord had taken me 
through some storms in great calmness. Eve, the church and 
the large schoolhouse on the same corners were both filled. 
I delivered a short sermon in the former on perfection, then went 
over to the other house and gave an exhortation to sinners. 

Before leaving for Canton, Brother and Sister Warner 
decided to visit the latter' s former home near Upper 
Sandusky. From that place he went to visit his father, 
at Bridgewater, Williams County. 

11. This morning arose before daylight, started quite early 
to Loudonville. Brother Eyer came to the station and brought a 
quilt for us and a small one for Levilla, which the sisters of the 
Brubaker Church had got up for us. I spent some hours in 
packing things more securely to ship. Took train at 2: 16 P. M. 
for Upper Sandusky. Reached there after seven. Walked out to 
Father Keller's. They had about given me up and were engaged 



140 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

in family worship. With reverence and admiration I stood at 
the window and looked in at that dear, affectionate family, 
all "made perfect through the blood of the everlasting covenant," 
while bowed together in evening devotion. Father was praying 
a beaming face toward me. It appeared that the whole 
was illuminated with the presence of God. My heart was 
made to burn with love and the Holy Ghost. When through 
with prayer, I entered, and then we had a moment: of joyful 
greeting in the name of the Lord Jesus. My full heart then sug- 
gested that we bow again in praise and thanksgiving to God, 
which we all did. Oh how my poor heart tried to find utterance 
for its weight of gratitude to our God of wondrous love and sal- 
vation! Until quite late we talked of the kind dealings of God 
to our souls. I praise thee, my God and Father, that thou 
hast ever connected me with this family. Through thy blessings, 
we have been wonderful helps to each other. 

13. I took train at about half-past five for my father's in 
Williams County. Lay over about an hour at Toledo. Reached 
Bryan about half-past one. Went up in the town and soon found 
a man by the name of Faith, who could take me within one and 
three fourths miles from Father's. Talked with the poor man 
about his soul; but he had taken an oath to stick to the 
Lutheran Church as long as he lived, and that oath must be kept 
if he violates every obligation to Christ and loses his soul. Called 
at Brother Dean's. Found the poor man much cast down over 
the death of his dear wife. He wept as I alluded to her. Came 
on home. Found Father pretty well and happy to see me. 

As I came from Brother Dean's, I passed the old schoolhouse 
where I surrendered to Jesus. It is no more used. I revered the 
sacred spot. Approached the door and found that it was not 
locked. I entered and kneeled as near as I could where I bowed 
at the altar a penitent sinner twelve years ago last February. 
I poured out my full heart of gratitude to the Father of mercies 
that he ever sent his spirit to convict me of my sins and show me 
my awful doom if I continued in sin. I truly thanked God that he 
had there prevailed upon me to repent of all my sin. I praised 
the great Shepherd of my soul that his grace had kept me those 
years from the power of an enraged foe. My thanks ascended to 
God for all the good he had done through this lump of unworthy 
clay. There I reconsecrated to God, after a careful examination 
of myself before him. 

After some talk with Father, we bowed down together and I 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 141 

earnestly prayed God to save my poor father from the dreadful 
end of the wicked. For some time I have been unusually bur- 
dened in heart for my poor old father. I trust God in his infinite 
mercy will yet save him ere he goes to his long home. Before 
retiring, in my bedchamber I continued long in prayer with my 
blessed Savior. 

14. Sabbath. Bro. Joseph Neil and I went to Madison 
Bethel, where Brother Coblen (recently from the German Bap- 
tists) had an appointment to preach. Brother C. spoke about 
thirty minutes on Heb. 2: 2. Did well. I then talked over thirty 
minutes, mostly on the perfect escape from sin. 

The church here are living in a high state of justification and 
spirituality. They all sanctioned entire sanctification. We then 
had a good speaking-meeting, when some of them acknowledged 
their need of full salvation. Oh, what a pity this church could 
not be led into the blessed land of perfect rest! But perhaps 
the next preacher that comes along will try to turn them against 
the truth. What a dreadful thing is an unsanctifred minister! 

Lord! make haste to "purge the sons of Levi." Took dinner 
with Brother Troxel. As soon as we arrived, Brother Neil began 
to entertain some young people on the porch with stories, while 
the disgraceful pipe protruded from his unsanctified lips. I 
withdrew at once to the room, read a few chapters, then to the 
bedroom and communed with my God until dinner was about 
ready. After eating, the pipe presented itself again. The Lord 
led me to rebuke such filthiness of the flesh. I told them that the 
use of tobacco was positively a sin: First, because it was the 
gratification of an unnatural and unholy appetite; second, it was 
offensive to all who were not therewith corrupted; third, it was 
a sinful appropriation of the Lord's means; fourth, it disquali- 
fied for refined and pure society by its extreme filthiness. Brother 
Neil then hitched up his beast, drove to the front, and called for 
me. I told him to come in. I read a portion of God's Word and 
then engaged in prayer. The Spirit led me into some very solemn 
requests for my brethren, and I trust they will hereafter have a 
more sacred conception of what it is to be holy in life, heart, and 
"all manner of conversation." Came to Father's. Had a long 
season of prayer in the chamber where I dwelt so much with 
God at the beginning of my ministration of the Word. Then for 
exercise and meditation I chose to walk to the meeting-house, 
about one and one half miles. The house was densely crowded. 

1 was astonished that the word had spread so rapidly to such a 



142 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

great distance in every direction. The Lord gave me glorious 
liberty and power. 1 Thess. 4: 1. Touched on sanctification, 
and I saw in a moment that I had some hearers who were in the 
land and others seeking the crossing, all members of the Church 
of Qod. The Lord gave me a very solemn appeal to the sinner. 
Many wept. My father was greatly melted down. 

15. Father and I drove to Brother Joseph's. I walked to the 
cemetery and communed with God beside the grave of my beloved 
and revered mother. I knelt down there and thanked God for 
having been brought into the world by such a pure and beloved 
mother; for her tender and never-failing care for me when in 
sickly childhood and youth; for the hallowed influence of her 
constant life of love and patience and humble trust in God in the 
midst of constant wickedness in this world; for her triumphant 
death and the hope of meeting her in heaven. Though I began in 
secret I soon forgot my surroundings and called loudly upon my 
blessed Jesus, not only in thanksgiving, but for the salvation of 
Father, Brother and friends. 

16. Arose early. Communed with the Lord. Bathed, as my 
custom is each alternate morning. Read a little tract on Joshua's 
stopping the sun and moon, written by D. M. Bennett. While 
reading the little bit of corruption the Lord gave me wonderful 
light to expose it to my father. These facts flashed across my 
mind: 1. The world was lost in ignorance of God and debased 
in sin. 2. The first thing necessary in human salvation was for 
God to make man sensible of His existence and power. 3. He 
had to take mankind in the condition sin had placed him. 
4. Man, possessing very little mental and less moral elevation and 
energy, would not have been impressed with awe and reverence 
before God had he manifested his perfections of wisdom and 
holiness, any more than a base society would entertain peculiar 
respect for a man who appeared among them with superior intel- 
lect and morals. 5. As man's chief ideal of greatness consisted in 
valor, heroism, and physical achievements, it is a fact that on 
this low plane only could man be led tp recognize the true great- 
ness and actual existence of God, by the manifestations of his 
power in the manner he used in destroying those idolatrous 
nations. 

P. M., Father and I drove to Montpelier on a little business. 
Father gave me five dollars, and one dollar in silver for Levilla. 
He also gave me a small package of some of my revered mother's 
clothes. How blessed her memory! Eve, Mr. Frisby (married 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 143 

to my niece), my brother, and a large wagon-load accompanied 
me to Madison, where I spoke to a full house. About the whole 
church received the light of holiness. 

On the 1 9th he took train on his journey toward Can- 
ton. He stopped at Loudonville and visited the church. 
Arrived at Canton on the 20th and proceeded immediately 
to visit congregations on the circuit. Sister Warner and 
child arrived on the 23d. The search for a house in 
which to live extended over a period of several days. 
There were good, faithful brethren who assisted them 
with provisions, but yet to a considerable extent they were 
left to provide the necessaries of life themselves. Of his 
effort to procure wood and hay we observe, for Novem- 
ber 6: 

Cold. Snowed some last night for the first. Went to hunt 
wood and hay. Found no wood or hay to spare. It seems 
hard that a poor messenger of God must expose himself to drive 
about sixteen miles through mud and very raw air to hunt those 
necessaries. It seems a light thing nowadays to sow to the 
people spiritual things, but a heavy thing to reap a few temporal 
things, even when we try to live more simple and cheap than 
our poor. Oh, how good it would have been for me to have had 
this day in the warm with the Lord in my library! But glory 
to Jesus, we still joy in sustaining sacrifice for his sake and feel 
content with our lot. Only, dear Lord, give us a good supply of 
the spirit of love, zeal, wisdom, and power. 

Meetings in town were held from house to house until 
a permanent place of worship could be opened. It was 
not long, however, until they both felt the Lord leading 
them to resign the circuit. Brother Warner had accepted 
with submission and good grace the charge given him 
(which, after all, was of man's appointment), but as a 
preacher of holiness with an ever increasing interest in a 
wider field, he doubtless felt that God wanted him to be 
free to go and do as the Spirit directed. The following 
is his entry for November 23 : 



144 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

This morn before daylight, when having morning devotion, the 
Spirit of God spoke to both Sarah and me to fast today. Thank 
God for such a precious Leader. Who would not obey such a 
wise Counselor? Spent most of the day in reading the Word, 
singing, and prayer. At ten A. M. we were both before the 
Lord in silent prayer when we were both directed by the Spirit 
to resign this circuit. Still on pur knees, we made known the 
orders received. We could but say amen, and the refreshings 
from the presence of the Lord came upon our hungry souls. We 
engaged in prayer and praise, when I was directed to proceed 
at once to write my resignation. 

This tried me, as I had never before been thrown among such 
very kind brethren and sisters. It seemed hard that I must throw 
up the circuit without as much as consulting them. But we dared 
not disobey God, as some hesitancy to obey in the past had cost 
me much power and sweet rest in God. Praise God, our hearts 
were much lightened and we felt that we had now got back at the 
beginning of the highway of holiness, which we had to some ex- 
tent missed. We could now sing, "He leadeth us." Eve, went 
up to the office and received a card earnestly calling for our ser- 
vices at Columbiana. Of this call I had an impression before 

I went to the office, and believe it of the Lord. Glory to God! 
My way has been hedged up ever since we came on the circuit. 

At Columbiana he found a number whose hearts were 
open to sanctification. His work there resulted in ten 
persons receiving the experience and one sinner being 
converted. Returning to his house in Canton on Decem- 
ber 6, he became impressed with the idea of writing out 
in somewhat itemized form the solemn covenant that con- 
stituted his conseration to God. 

8. I fasted today. Remained up with the Lord until after 

I I o'clock at night. I was led by the Spirit to a deep self- 
examination. I found myself utterly nothing in the sight of 
Qod. I read with great interest the experience of Bro. R. Yeakel, 
in the Living Epistles of 1873. As I read over the solemn writ- 
ten covenant that this holy man entered into with God, I was 
much impressed to do likewise, but feared that my impressions 
came from a wish to imitate one of God's holy men rather than 
to follow the Spirit. 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 145 

Went to the office this eve and received a letter from Brother 
Chambers, chairman of the Ohio Holiness Alliance. As soon 
as I saw his name on the envelope the conviction of last Sabbath 
that I should give myself up to be a holiness evangelist came 
strongly to my mind, and as I walked home I promised God 
that I would not lie down until I had reported myself to Brother 
Chambers for this work. The Lord helped me to do so, and as I 
wrote down my convictions and surrendered to the Lord, the 
Holy Ghost graciously fell upon my soul. 

13. The day was mild and fair. Took a walk in the woods 
to commune with God. Thought much of the words of God, 
"I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel" (Jer. 
31 : 31). In Hebrews 8 and 10 I read that this covenant related 
to the new dispensation, and the apostle, in Hebrews 10, actu- 
ally connects it with sanctification. I felt like entering more per- 
sonally and formally into this covenant with the Almighty. But 
I thought, Can such a worm enter into an everlasting covenant 
with the Holy God of the universe? God makes the proposi- 
tion, and with solemn reverence I venture to step out upon it. 
And this I do in the name of the Lord Jesus, my only right- 
eousness. 

A covenant is an agreement of two parties in which both 
voluntarily bind themselves to fill certain conditions and receive 
certain benefits. God is the party of the first part of the contract, 
and has bound himself. 

1. "I will put my laws into their minds and write them in 
their hearts." 

2. "And I will be their God." 

3. They "shall know me from the least to the greatest." 

4. "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness." 

5. "Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." 
thou Most High God, thou hast left this covenant in thy 

Holy Book, saying, "If any man will take hold of my covenant." 
Now, therefore, in holy fear and reverence I present myself as 

the party of the second part and subscribe my name to the holy 

article of agreement, and following thy example will here and 

now write down the conditions on my part. 

"They shall be my people." Jer. 31 :33. Amen, Lord, I am 

forever thine. 

The vow is passed beyond repeal, 
Now will I set the solemn seal. 



146 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Lord, thou hast been true to thy covenant, though I have been 
most unfaithful and am now altogether unworthy to take hold of 
thy most gracious covenant. But knowing that thou hast bound 
thyself in thy own free offer to "be merciful to their unrighteous- 
ness," I take courage to approach thee and would most earnestly 
beseech thee to fulfil thy wonderful offer to BE MY GOD; and 
I do most joyfully yield myself entirely TO BE THINE. 

Therefore this soul which thou hast made in thine own image is 
placed wholly in thy hands to do with it as seemeth good. 

This mind shall think only for thy glory and the promotion 
of thy cause. 

This will is thy will, God! 

The spirit within this body is now thine; do with it as thou 
wilt, in life and death. 

This body is thy temple forevermore. 

These hands shall work only for thee. 

These eyes to see thy adorable works and thy holy law. 

This tongue and these lips to speak only holiness unto the Lord. 

These ears to hear thy voice alone. 

These feet to walk only in thy ways. 

And all my being is now and forever thine. 

In signing my name to this solemn covenant I am aware that 
I bind myself to live, act, speak, think, move, sit, stand up, lie 
down, eat, drink, hear, see, feel, and whatsoever I do all the 
days and nights of my life to do all continually and exclusively 
to the glory of God. I must henceforth wear nothing but what 
honors God. I must have nothing in my possession or under 
my control but such as I can consistently write upon, "Holiness 
unto the Lord." The place where I live must be wholly dedi- 
cated to God. Every item of goods or property that is under my 
control is hereby conveyed fully over into the hands of God 
to be used by him as he will and to be taken from my steward- 
ship whenever the great Owner wishes, and it is not my busi- 
ness at all. 

She whom I call my wife belongs forevermore to God. Use 
her as thou wilt and where thou wilt, and leave her with me, 
or take her from me, just as seemeth good to thee and to thy 
glory. Amen. 

Levilla Modest, whom we love as a dear child bestowed upon 
us by thy infinite goodness, is hereby returned to thee. If thou 
wilt leave us to care for her and teach her of her true Father 
and Owner, we will do the best we can by thy aid to make her 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 147 

profitable unto thee. But if thou deemest us unfit to properly 
rear her or wouldst have her in thy more immediate presence, 
behold, she is thine, take her. Amen and amen. 

And now, great and merciful Father, thou to whom I belong, 
with all that pertains to me, and thou who art mine with all 
that pertains to thy fulness and richness, all this offering which 
I have made would be but foolishness and waste of time were 
it not for what I have in thee obtained to confirm the solemn 
contract. For were it not that thou art my God, my promises 
would be but idle words. I could fulfil nothing which my mouth 
has uttered and my pen has written. But since thou, Almighty, 
Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Eternal God, art mine, I have 
a thousandfold assurance that all shall be fulfilled through thy 
fulness. 

My ignorance is fully supplied by thy own infinite wisdom. 
My utter weakness and inability to preserve myself from sin is 
abundantly supplied by thy omnipotence, to thy everlasting 
praise. 

Glory to thy holy name! Though I have solemnly pledged 
all things to thee, yet, as thou art my "all and in all," I have 
nothing to fear. Now, Father! my God and Savior, I humbly 
pray thee so to keep me that all my powers of soul, body, and 
spirit, my time, talents, will, influence, words, and works, shall 
continually, exclusively, and eternally glorify thy holy name 
through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen and amen. 

In covenant with the God of all grace and mercy, who has be- 
come my salvation, my all, and whose I am forever, to the praise 
of his glory. Amen. 

Entered into by the direction of the Holy Spirit and signed 
this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord 
Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-Seven. 

DANIEL SIDNEY WARNER. 

I realized much strength by obeying the impressions of the 
Spirit in writing out the foregoing covenant. God seemed pres- 
ent as though I was making an agreement with a person whom 
I could see by my side. 

Eve, Romans 12. The Lord was there to make truth effectual, 
and after preaching succeeded in getting about all the members 
in the altar, and we had a solemn, heart-searching time. Then 
we had speaking meeting. I urged the brethren and sisters to 
confess what they felt to be their true condition and their wants. 



148 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

About all confessed: "I have an evil nature within me which 
I would like to get rid of if that can be." "I confess I have sin 
in me." "Have carnality yet in me." Glory to God, this 
brought the Lord very near. My soul seemed in heaven. Every- 
thing seemed melting down before God and yielding to his 
constraining love and sinners were serious. 

16. Sabbath. Preached on Hebrews. Had a talk with Bro. 
William Fuller on sanctification. He was critical and talked for 
argument. The Spirit bade me leave him, but I did not obey 
for some time, wishing to show my regards for the young brother. 
I have learned, however, never again to disobey God out of 
deference to man. When God says cease an argument, the cause 
of holiness can only suffer by disobedience. I finally withdrew to 
the closet and confessed my disobedience to the Spirit. After 

coming out, Mr. W , a poor sinner, attacked me, using some 

insulting language. I read a little Scripture and left him. 

Eve, read 1 Thessalonians and 1 John on perfect love. The 
Lord's Spirit was there to melt hearts. Opposition began to 
give way. Brother Fuller, after meeting, confessed that his eyes 
were being opened to the truth; hoped I would return. Bro. 
Abraham Whitmire confessed his convictions that unless this com- 
munity accepted holiness the cause of religion would greatly suf- 
fer here. Others with tears asked our prayers. Glory to God, 
good seed is sown here which will bring forth in the future. 

On the 1 9th Brother and Sister Warner began packing 
their goods to move to Upper Sandusky, the home of the 
latter' s parents. They had received word that a holiness 
revival was desired in Findlay, where the seed had al- 
ready been sown. On arriving at Upper Sandusky they 
found that they were already engaged for Findlay and 
were to go there the following Monday. Of their work 
in Findlay, in which they were assisted by Father and 
Mother Keller, a few selected notes from the diary will 
give a sufficient account. 

24. Reached the Bethel in Findlay before preaching. Found 
that God was wondrously at work here. Twenty-three sanctified. 
Some of the old members fighting the work. The Lord blessed 
me in preaching full salvation. His power rested on the people 
and some came to the altar. Father and I went home wkh 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 149 

Father She.rick. He had been opposed to holiness but, thank 
God, he is now yielding and begins to confess his need of full 
salvation. He is eighty years old and probably fifty years a 
Christian — but has never grown out of depravity. 

25. Today we celebrate the birth of Christ. Arose before 
daylight, as usual, and after my daily bath Father and I had a 
precious season of prayer and praises. Met at ten at the Bethel. 
Had a prayer- and general experience-meeting. The "little ones** 
testified straight and strong. Eve, house full. Was asked to 
preach again. Felt much straightened. The elders were to let 
us know about our having the Bethel for a holiness meeting, 
and it was expected that tonight the meeting should be con- 
ducted for sinners; but last night God showed me after preach- 
ing that this must be a holiness meeting. So I was hedged up by 
the church on one side and God on the other. Tried to preach 
some time to sinners, but was absolutely abandoned to myself. 
Oh, how empty and hollow all I said! I saw that this would not 
do, so I proceeded to full salvation for believers. Glory to Qod, 
I had some unction then, but felt the displeasure of some of the 
church. Two mourners and three believers presented themselves 
at the altar One soul sanctified. After meeting a very intelli- 
gent and pleasant sister came forward and said, "God gave me 
the wonderful Christmas gift of entire sanctification while you 
were preaching." Glory to God forever! We announced meet- 
ings in the future on the holiness line. 

26. Up before the family, bathed and prayed. A. M, wrote, 
occasionally talked holiness to persons coming in seeking light. 
All the city is in an uproar on holiness. Halleluiah! At half- 
past two me* at the Bethel. Brother Linsey led the meeting. 
Satan made a dreadful rally today. All the old cold members 
got in the back part of the house. Bro. Samuel Ferguson acted 
as spokesman for the devil. He set out in a raging storm. Called 
this work the judgment of the whore, the abomination that maketh 
desolate. Called God to rebuke it, to smite it in the mouth 
until the blood should fly out. He hollowed and stamped and 
foamed like a madman. Glory to God, who kept his little ones 
in perfect peace. God gave me great peace, and I could but 
say thank God for the trial of his holy cause. I proceeded in a 
calm spirit to show the people some of God's sacred truth that 
they were rejecting. Brother Wilson arose on the opposition side 
and asked some questions, threatening a call of the Standing 
Committee. May the Lord help him to seek the cleansing blood. 



150 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

A young man, member of the church, by the name of Teams 
stepped out; in the aisle and began to yell and stamp and walk 
to-and-fro. He consumed about fifteen minutes in silly harangue 
against perfect holiness by the blood of Christ. There was no 
reason, sense, Bible, or even apparent civilization in his aspersions. 
All the little ones were kept in perfect peace. Eve, Brother Up- 
dike preached' his farewell sermon to the church. He felt so di- 
rected because of the recent abuses of his wife by some of the 
church and because of the wicked opposition of the leaders of 
the church to holiness. He declared his withdrawal from this 
charge. The old and formal part of the church were aroused 
most furiously, I followed by some remarks. A few came out 
to seek purity. 

27. Had meeting at 2 P. M. in the court-house, whither we 
have moved because of the constant disturbance in the Bethel. 
Eve, tried to preach to a good congregation at the court-house. 
The Lord was with us in sweet peace and power. We felt we were 
in a purer spiritual atmosphere. 

30. Sabbath. Met at ten. Heb. 13:20, 21. The Lord 
helped me to show the people that perfection is commanded 
and attained now; what it is ancj is not; that it is not attained 
in conversion, but by a second work. At 2.30 P. M. met in 
the court-house in a temperance meeting. Brothers Linsey and 
Ackers both glorified God by testifying to their wonderful sal- 
vation from drink and tobacco, both having had delirium tre- 
mens several times. Brother A. called the tobacco habit a 
twin sister to strong drink and claimed that it was the cause of 
his becoming a drunkard. After they spoke, a Lutheran min- 
ister arose and deprecated the springing of tobacco in the meet- 
ing and palliated this abomination as consistent with perfect 
consecration to God and piety. Shame! Shame! 

A brother asked concerning our holiness. So we bowed to- 
gether and had a season of prayer, and as we afterward began 
to talk he constantly interrupted me, would not let me finish a 
point or connect the Scripture proofs of the two works. We 
bowed again in prayer and he led. He asked God to purify his 
heart and take all the evil nature out of him. After arising I 
remarked that as he would interrupt all my efforts to give him 
instruction I would now ask him some questions and learn. I 
asked him what things we were allowed of God. Answer, "Such 
things as he promises." Do you always pray for such only? 
"Yes." Do you receive them? "Yes." Then you have just now 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 151 

been sanctified, made pure, is it not so? "Yes." Then you 
should hereafter not ask God to do what he has done! But 
he contended that he should keep on making the same prayer. 
Brother Larcomb suggested the equal propriety of continuing to 
pray to God to convert him. Oh what confusion and ignorance! 
Still they thought we had gone astray. 

31. A. M., wrote. Eve, met at seven and continued the meet- 
ing until after twelve. The house was crowded, the isles stand- 
ing full of people to the close of the meeting. Pretty good order 
for the throng. Brother Updike preached. After some altar 
work, we had good testimony-meeting. I then preached a short 
discourse on Eph. 4: 22-24. A few minutes before twelve the 
altar was again filled with seekers and little ones. I read the 
Christian consecration, and all said amen. The power of God 
came upon us. Many shouts. A Mother Goodwin, of the M. 
E. Church, was the subject of a wonderful work of grace tonight. 
For eighteen years she had sought for this experience. She had 
a dreadful death, turned perfectly white and shook like a leaf. 
She hesitated to believe through the temptation of unworthiness. 
I asked her if Christ was not worthy. Told her to believe for the 
glory of his name. Then she took hold. She soon fully overcame 
by the blood of the Lamb and the word of her testimony. It 
was a wonderful work wrought by the power of God in one of 
the most intelligent and pious ladies of Findlay, of about fifty 
years of age. She was filled with wonder at the great change and 
testified with a halo of glory beaming from her countenance. How 
can such a marked work be doubted? What a reproach upon the 
ministry that this dear saint should be kept eighteen years in the 
wilderness longing for some Joshua to lead her over to the land 
of perfect rest of soul from all sin! 

Jan. 1, 1878. Praise God for the mercies of the past year. 
I am so thankful that the old year witnessed the final death of 
the old man in me, and now for the first time I enter upon the 
New Year all renewed in the image of God. Glory to his name 
in the highest! I am redeemed and washed in the blood of the 
Lamb. Canaan, sweet Canaan, surely here flows milk and 
honey! God is my everlasting all, my satisfying portion. Oh, 
wonders of redeeming love! Can it be that through the precious 
blood of Christ I have "entered into the holiest" and am forever 
shut in with God, and dead to the world! God, I feel that I 
can stand in thy holy presence! I tremble with awe and rever- 
ence. my God and Redeemer! keep me on thine altar and in 



152 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

spotless purity lest I offend thy Holiness and die. I shall forever 
dwell with thee, and through the riches of thy boundless grace 
my whole being, every thought, word, feeling, emotion, appetite, 
desire, wish, purpose, and action, yea my whole life, shall be a 
continual offering to God, in the flames of his love. Amen. Al- 
mighty, All-wise, and ever present God, fulfil this thy pleasure in 
me. I am in thy hands. Amen and amen. 

A. M., wrote some. Met at 10 A. M. and held meetings until 
4 P. M. : the power of G:d rested upon us. Four. I be.ieve, were 
sanctified. The Lord gave me much light on the sanctuary as 
setting forth the different degrees of grace (Heb. 10: 19, 22). 
In chapter 8 the apostle compares the sanctuary and the temple 
service with the present spiritual house or church. 9:9 shows 
that the former temple service was typical of the church, also 1 : 
1 1 . Now, as the temple all through the Bible typifies the church, 
so also the tabernacle. We must make some application of its de- 
partments. This the apostle does for us. The court represents 
penitence or approach to the church, the sanctuary or "holy." 
From this we have access into the "holiest." In the sanctuary 
they are "brethren" and (v. 22) have "their hearts sprinkled from 
an evil conscience." Were justified when they came into the holy, 
and now are invited into the holiest, not into heaven but into a 
state of purity through the blood of Christ. 

2. Wrote some. Brother Doty came today. Thank the 
Lord. Eve. Brother Dory preached on the difference between 
justification and entire sanctification. (1) Inbred sin is not cog- 
nizable to our consciousness when actual sin and guilt crowd the 
conscience. (2) We need not lack wisdom, for such is Christ to 
us; but may greatly lack knowledge. (3) Entire sanctification 
takes away all vain curiosity. (4) Makes us simple in giving, 
etc. (5) Leaves natural appetites the same, but removes un- 
natural. 

Two were most gloriously sanctified, one an old mother over 
eighty years of age. Oh, how wonderfully God blessed her! She 
ran around as sprite!}* as a young girl. The house, as usual, was 
greatly crowded, the space on the floor about all occupied by 
standers. The whole city is stirred. All the protracted efforts 
in the place are without interest. All the elements are attracted 
here. Sinners want this kind of religion that saves from all sin. 
Glory to God forever! Some of the county officials, I presume, are 
getting uneasy, hence concluded that we could no longer have the 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 153 

court-house. Received the promise of the Reform house, at least 
for the next evening. 

3. God's power was with us. Three souls were sweetly sanc- 
tified, one of whom, a sister Miller, was converted to God from 
Catholicism last winter. They say her conversion was among 
the most bright of the 150 converts and her life has been true. 
Oh how calm and clearly she came out! Her testimony was sub- 
lime and more than human. It was spoken by the Spirit. Praise 
God! Another meeting was held in East Findlay. The Lord was 
also there in power. A brother in the Church of God who had 
rashly denounced holiness was sanctified at this meeting. 

Eve, the promised house was not opened. The little ones were 
scattered each not knowing where to meet the rest, and yet we 
felt a great desire to be together. One company gathered and we 
went to a United Brethren Church. As we passed along, crowds 
gathered after us and asked where we were going t,o have meeting. 
The people were much disappointed. Brother Engle, the pastor, 
preached an earnest sermon to sinners from, "The way of the 
transgressor is hard." I felt that the church was an iceberg be- 
tween this sanctified preacher and the sinners. We all prayed 
fervently for the efficacy of the word. Some twelve arose for 
prayer, among the number was Sister Wert's son, a very intelli- 
gent young man with whom I called today. When I asked him 
concerning his soul's interests, he said that he did not "go much 
on religion." I calmly replied that I presumed he had none to go 
on. I added that I did not go on religion either before I had any 
to go on. This was God-sent, and he knew not how to express 
himself again. I waited a few seconds then proposed prayer. We all 
kneeled and I presented him to the mercy of God. After hold- 
ing his hand and giving him a few words I left him, praying 
to God to bring him down to the cross. Praise God, I saw him 
rise in the congregation. 

Brother Linsey and I stayed up all night in prayer to God for 
Findlay. God rolled upon our hearts a dreadful agony for souls 
and gave us an awful sight of the wicked apostasy of the churches. 
Like the old prophets, we groaned and cried to God for salva- 
tion to come out of Zion. 

27. Sabbath. Met at the United Brethren Church. Good 
testimony-meeting. One sister said, "I do not believe in a second 
work; would as leave you would hit me in the face as to speak 
of it; it is like a dart to my heart to hear it." Just so the 
"pure testimony put forth in the Spirit cuts," etc. Brother Engle 



154 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

read a very interesting chapter of United Brethren history show- 
ing the holiness revival in that church. Otterbein, Bishop Ed- 
wards, Wilson, and many others, of the most eminent ministers 
professed and taught holiness as a distinct work. 

At this point in his diary Brother Warner tells of his 
expulsion from the West Ohio Eldership, and gives the 
subject a special heading. 

TRIAL AND EXPULSION FROM THE WEST OHIO ELDER- 
SHIP OF THE CHURCH OF GOD FOR PREACHING FULL 

SALVATION; FOR FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT; 

FOR HELPING TO SAVE OVER 150 SOULS IN 

THIS PLACE 

30. Standing Committee met in Findlay today. Principal 
business to attend to was charges prefered by Bro. G. W. Wilson 
against Bro. J. V. Updike and me — against him for maladministra- 
tion of the church here, deserting it, and turning church interests 
over to the Holiness Alliance, etc.; against me for (1) trans- 
cending the restrictions of the Eldership, (2) violating rules 
of cooperation, (3) participating in dividing the church. 

As to the first, it relates to an action of the body last Eldership 
in which I was prohibited from springing the holiness meeting on 
any church where they did not wish it. This charge was not sus- 
tained by a single proof. The facts are as follows : Father Keller 
was led by the Spirit to go to Findlay to procure a place for a 
holiness meeting. He found a meeting in progress in the Church 
of God, tried to get the house to begin as soon as they were 
through, but they refused. He then engaged the Reformed house, 
but left an offer still with the Church of God to occupy their 
house if they concluded to let us have it. When we received 
word that the meeting was about to close we went up and found 
it still in progress, and as the holiness workers were there, we 
wished to begin a meeting on the holiness line. We gave the 
church the first offer to use their house, and they consented to 
our using the house. However, this I think they did because they 
knew that if we went to another house we would carry all the in- 
terests from their house. And when the whole counsel of God was 
presented they could not stand it, but gathered in the back end of 
the house with wicked men and fought the work of God, so that 
we soon saw that nothing could be done there, hence we re- 
moved to the court-house. I had nothing at all to do with the 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 155 

appointment of the meeting there and only did some of the 
preaching after Father Keller and Brothers Ackers and Linsey 
had got the use of the house from the elders and trustees, or a 
majority of them. 

Second charge, "Violation of rules of cooperation." The rule 
cited was like this: No person shall go upon another's field of 
labor to hold meetings, etc, without the consent of preacher and 
church. When we announced meeting at the court-house, one of 
the elders announced preaching there at the Bethel the next night. 
Brother Wilson filled the pulpit and continued some four or five 
nights with no success and small congregations. Now, because 
I assisted in the meeting at the court-house while these church 
services were continued in the same town, I am thus charged, 
when these meetings were really appointed after and in opposition 
to the real work of the Lord, where souls were daily being saved. 

Third charge, "Dividing the church.'* I showed that the only 
results of the holiness meeting were fifty-three sinners converted 
and 1 1 8 believers sanctified, and that all the division and con- 
fusion was caused by the carnal and wicked opposition on the 
part of the rest of the church, just like the envious Jews stirred 
up the people at Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17) and inter- 
rupted the apostles in their peaceable work of leading souls to 
Jesus, as well as disturbed the peace of the city. The apostles, 
of course, had to bear the blame, and like everywhere else they 
went, bonds and prisons awaited them; and I, too, was ready to 
suffer affliction with the people of God for the sake of Christ. 
All Adam became aroused, so that I was stopped from reading 
other Scriptures. [He had been reading and speaking from 
Isa. 32: 15.] When for the sake of the dear people calling 
themselves the Church of God I was studying how to compro- 
mise the two elements in the church here, the Lord gave me this 
text, and the Spirit led me to preach it straight, although it con- 
flicted with what I had cherished, that is, a hope of fraternizing 
the sanctified and the unsanctified. 

Eve, Brother Updike's case was adjusted by the Committee, 
the elders, and himself. They tried hard to bind him down to 
abandon holiness as a definite work and to have no communion 
with holiness workers. He agreed to some restrictions about 
preaching holiness where it was not wanted. Received his license 
and was placed on McComb circuit. Evidently they have some 
hopes of leading him to a recantation. May the mercy and grace 



156 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

of God keep him from coming down from the highway! Brother 
Chambers was at our meeting in North Findlay this eve. 

31. Was brought to the depot this morn in sled. Heavy 
snow falling. After I had been riding some time in the train 
with him in conversation, Brother Cassel, one of the Committee, 
seeing that I was not enough concerned to ask him what dis- 
position they had made of my case, informed me that the 
Committee had decided that the charges were sustained, and 
that they had withheld my license.* I thanked him for their 
decision and assured him that if I were to look upon the matter 
from the mere human standpoint and consider my attachment 
to the Church of God and her principles, I should regard their 
action a dreadful calamity and intolerable to bear; but that 
I had now that charity which "believeth all things" and "en- 
dureth all things," and therefore I calmly rested in the promise 
of God that "all things work together for good" to me, and the 
sweet assurance that my dear Father, to whom I belonged, would 
turn this and everything else (as long as I stay on the altar) 
to my good and his glory. Praise his holy name! Reached 
home about 2 P. M. 

Up to the time of leaving Findlay there were 53 converted, 
118 believers sanctified, including about all the 53 converts. 
Many of them were sanctified at the next meeting after con- 
verted, and a, few the same meeting. Glory to God for full sal 
vation ! 

Following the effort at Findlay, a series of holiness 
meetings was held at Upper Sandusky in the early part 
of February. Brother Dunbar and others assisted. On 
the 9th, Brother Warner was called to spend Sunday at 
Dunkirk, and was kept there for several days. While 
at Dunkirk he was impressed by the Spirit to announce 
that if any sick in the town would send for him he would 
go in faith to pray for them to recover. A sister who had 

*This trouble came up at the Eldership meeting the following 
September. "The Warner case was indirectly revived when the 
Committee on Eesolutions adopted the following: 'That any min- 
ister of this body that may presume to preach the dogma of a 
second work for sanctification shall be deemed unsound in the 
theology of the Church of God, and should not hold an ecclesiastical 
relation as a minister in this Eldership.' " — From Dr. Forney's 
History of the Church of God. 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 157 

been afflicted for years with catarrh in the head, which 
had spread to the throat and lungs so that she was con- 
sumptive, thought much about being healed. She had 
strong faith and came to meeting the next day, and in 
answer to prayer was gloriously healed, perfectly sound. 
Another, a blacksmith in Dunkirk, was impressed to go 
and pray for the healing of a young colored sister on the 
verge of death from consumption. She was wonderfully 
benefited, as for six weeks she had to be lifted from her 
bed but now was able to arise and, assisted by the hand of 
a sister, walk across the floor. She had been able only to 
whisper, but now could sing praises to God. 

Brother Warner felt that he should return to Upper 
Sandusky to assist in the meetings that were being held 
there. In a day or two after returning he was called back 
to Dunkirk to preach the funeral of the young colored 
sister. The brother who had prayed for her and a sister 
who had strong faith believed that God would raise the 
departed sister from the dead in answer to their prayers. 
Brother Warner announced the funeral for 10 A. M., 
if the Lord did not direct matters otherwise. He prayed 
and examined the scriptures relative to miracles and found 
that ( 1 ) Christ aroused and inspired faith and admira- 
tion in the people by miracles, (2) the final commission 
teaches miracles, (3) they were the means of the success 
of the apostles, (4) the gift is set in the church. Hence, 
he concluded that miracles were to be a permanent factor 
in the system of salvation. He does not say that he was 
particularly impressed that God was going to work a 
miracle in this case. He rather fell in with the idea as 
urged by the sister who felt so impressed. At her home 
she and her husband and Brother Warner waited in pray- 
er for some time, then went to the house where the corpse 
lay. The two brethren kneeled in prayer while the sister 



158 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

uncovered the body and commanded the departed to arise 
in the name of Jesus. Their faith for some time was 
wonderfully strong and they confidently expected to see 
her arise. They held on with unwavering faith for half 
an hour, when they all felt relieved and that the will of 
the Lord had been done. Brother Warner preached 
the funeral the next day. He writes that this incident 
seemed only to increase their faith and that he believed 
that God was well pleased with the effort to exert this 
faith ; mat if not through them, God would through some 
one else revive this element of apostolic power. 

There was a report, intended to ridicule, and published 
by some who opposed Brother Warner, that he with 
others tried to bring a dead body to life by standing it 
on its feet and commanding it to walk, etc. This of 
course was untrue. 

Remaining in Dunkirk for a few days, he held meet- 
ings which resulted in about twenty conversions. He 
found himself muck attached to the brethren and sisters 
here. They had come out of the United Brethren and 
Methodist Episcopal denominations and had formed 
themselves into a Wesley an body. Many of them, how- 
ever, were not satisfied with a human church and creed 
and there was a strong tendency to come to the apostolic 
faith. Returning to Upper Sandusky he assisted in the 
meetings there. In company with Father and Mother 
Keller he visited the jail and prayed with the convicts. 
One of those, by name, John Bristol, was gloriously con- 
verted. Bristol said he did not care a cent to get out of 
jail so long as Jesus stayed with him. He had been 
badly abandoned and had followed shows, drinking, 
balloon ascensions, etc. He once fell sixty feet from a 
balloon, breaking an arm, a leg, splitting a hip socket, 
etc. The sparing of his life was only by the mercy of 
God. 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 159 

For the 7th of March 1878 we quote the following: 

Fellowshiped some fourteen souls in the Church of God 
formed on a congregational basis, with holiness the principal 
foundation-stone. On the 31st of last January the Lord showed 
me that holiness could never prosper upon sectarian soil en- 
cumbered by human creeds and party names, and he gave me 
a new commission to join holiness and all truth together and 
build up the apostolic church of the living God. Praise his 
name! I will obey him. 

In March an evangelistic effort was made in Tiffin, but 
with difficulty. The denominational houses seemed to be 
closed to holiness. A few meetings were held in a private 
house and in a rented room. He states that at this place 
Sister Warner was called to go to Mansfield to assist in 
a holiness meeting. This was a peculiar test and he thus 
speaks of it: 

23. Sarah left today. The Lord tested our loyalty by requir- 
ing us to labor apart. At first I disbelieved that it was the 
order of God and was decidedly opposed to her going. So 
were Father and Mother Keller. I thought it would give place 
to the devil and hurt the sacred cause and endanger our domestic 
happiness. But this morn I arose early and consulted the Lord. 
I laid down all my understanding and the many seemingly plain 
reasons for her not going and besought God to direct the matter, 
and to my astonishment the Holy Spirit confirmed Sarah's call 
by reminding me of my solemn covenant with God, that there 
I had laid her on the altar and given her back to God to use 
her where and as he saw fit. At the same time all unwilling- 
ness vanished from my mind. In fact, a desire was at once 
created within me for her to go. 

God, thy ways are not our ways, but we will walk in thy 
ways all the days of our life. Season sad. Here she is greatly 
needed; there is a strong old band. How would it look for 
me to work for God here and she whom the Lord had joined 
to me go elsewhere? Were I at home, not at all in a meeting, 
then there could be no appearance of evil in her going. But ah! 
I now see there would then be no test, which is just the thing 
God intended. Abraham's faith would not have been half so 
much tried and proved had not Isaac been the heir of the 
promise. Father and Mother still strongly opposed her going, 



160 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

so that doubtless she would have shrunk with a burdened heart 
from the calf had not God raised help in me. 

On the 4th of April he received a letter from her stat- 
ing that the meeting at Mansfield was excellent for the 
establishing and strengthening of God's little ones, and 
that she had gone home. 

During this time Brother Warner was getting much 
light on the Scriptures concerning holiness and was writing 
with the view of publishing a tract on the subject. The 
matter he was accumulating, however, proved to be 
enough for a book, which, as we shall see, was published 
two years later. Also, he speaks of an effort at this time 
to obtain more of the manifestation of God in his soul. 

25. I set out this day to seek a more full and conscious 
manifestation of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost in my heart. 
Spent much time in the closet. Visited and prayed with a few 
families. 

30. Prayed much for a more perfect, full, constant, and 
conscious manifestation of God in my soul. Had a glorious 
victory. Yesterday Brother Lee was about to start to walk 
home to Nevada, twenty-two miles. I thought it was too hard 
a task with such muddy roads. How I wished for the means 
to send him home by railroad! Recently, being without means to 
send a letter, I took it to the Lord, and before I had the letter 
written a kind sister gave me fifty cents. I had a quarter left 
and I thought of giving it to Brother Lee if others would make 
up the remainder. But then the tempter said, "You are de- 
pendent yourself and should not give to others that which the 
Lord has sent to meet your wants." I took it to the Lord and 
the Spirit said, "Give and it shall be given." I gave the quarter 
to Brother Lee. The dollar needed by him was soon made, and 
he was able to stay until this morn. Praise God, this morn a kind 
sister called and said the Lord had sent her to give me a 
dollar. The Spirit kept his promise and gave four-fold. 

Apr. 3, 1878. God is daily giving me more of his great ful- 
ness and conforming me more and more to his glorious image. 
This is because I am earnestly endeavoring to consecrate more 
perfectly every moment of my time to him and because I spend 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 161 

more time with God alone in the closet. I have on several 
occasions besought God to conform me more perfectly to his 
nature, and without any particular emotions that might indicate 
the answer I claimed the desire of my heart and by faith 
thanked Father that he had granted my petitions. To the glory 
of God I can say that as I went on my way I found from hour 
to hour that as my faith was so was it meted out to me. Oh, 
how sweet it is to go to our heavenly Father for all our heart's 
and soul's need, and in the name of Jesus ask for it rejoicing that 
we know we have the desire of our heart! Surely "happy are 
the people that are in such a case; yea, happy are the people 
whose God is the Lord." 

On his return to Upper Sandusky on April 9 he found 
some urgent calls to go to Indiana, and he felt that the 
Lord was in it. On Sunday the 14th, he conducted the 
services in Upper Sandusky. The theme in the evening 
was, Salvation from Church, using 1 Pet. 1:18, 19 
and 2 Pet. 1 :3, 4 — deliverance from all that is human 
and the reception of all that is of divine origin. 

The Lord blessed me and greatly awakened my own mind 
and I think opened the eyes of others to the importance of 
abandoning all human and party creeds, party names, party 
spirit, and party interests in order to maintain a life of perfect 
holiness, as well as to the duty of returning to the "faith once 
delivered to the saints" in its entirety. 

It is interesting to note that at this time, coincident to 
his receiving the call to Indiana, there came to his mind 
the idea of using the printing-press as a means of publish- 
ing the gospel truth he was so burdened to promulgate. 

Recently I asked my heavenly Father to send means to meet 
our wants, pay debts, and as soon as I was ready to print my 
work on holiness, to furnish the means. I received gracious 
answers by the Spirit, and the following night while lying in 
meditation how I could better honor God in publishing full 
salvation, the Lord opened a new field for me. The Spirit sug- 
gested that my heavenly Father would provide me with a small 
hand printing-press by means of which I could print my book 



1 62 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

myself and scatter many holiness tracts as leaves of salvation. 
Praise God, today I received a most cheering letter from 
Eld. W. W. Roberts, of Missouri. He is in the land of Canaan, 
and having seen my articles and the Standing Committee's action 
in the Advocate he writes to encourage me in the good work; 
and though he knows nothing of my circumstances he offers 
to furnish me some money if I need it. Praise God, who is 
faithful and always heareth his poor and needy little ones that 
cry unto him. 

Returning to Tiffin with his father-in-law, Keller, he 
found the little ones in good spirits. All testified definite- 
ly and boldly. He held three services there on the 
following Sunday. He found there had come to be a 
wonderful awakening in Tiffin among the denominational 
churches on the subject of perfect holiness. 

On the 22nd he took train for New Washington, the 
place of his childhood home. Here seven years previous 
he labored alone in a revival that resulted in the salvation 
&i about fifty souls. For one year they did well A 
good house of worship was built and twice a week it was 
filled at prayer-meetings that were very lively and interest- 
ing. But adversity came and there now remained but a 
small force of faithful ones to tell the story of salvation. 
Elder Oliver, w T ho had preferred charges against him for 
the preaching of holiness, was in charge of the work here 
and of course had greatly prejudiced the people against 
holiness. Two of the flock, however, had received the 
experience. 

At this place, through his brother Lewis, who lived in 
the vicinity, he learned that his father was very poorly and 
he at once became much burdened for his father's soul. 

May 5, 1878. Sabbath. Met about 10 A. M. All the little 

ones testified boldly in the Spirit to sanctification. Brother 
Oliver and wife were much annoyed at the same. Brother 
0. preached from Rev. 21 :27. A good text to enforce holi- 
ness, but alas, the time and opportunity were wasted in attacks 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 163 

upon the Lord's work of full salvation. How my heart was 
grieved that the dear brother was not led by the Spirit of God! 
What a favorable opportunity and text to set forth the necessity 
of holiness and the all-cleansing blood! But alas, how few 
unsanctified preachers know what spirit they are of! Oh, how 
little they value the worth of souls! How indifferent to the 
solemn responsibilities of the ministry! 

16. [At Upper Sandusky.] Preached the funeral of a poor 
sinner who was accidentally shot dead with a revolver. He died 
in fifteen minutes, calling upon God for mercy. He was mar- 
ried one week ago today. Life is but a vapor. 

On the 16th he left for Indiana. He reached Silver 
Lake, Kosciusko County, the next day and was met by 
Bro. F. Krause and conveyed seven miles through a heavy 
rain to Beaver Dam. In spite of bad weather a fair con- 
gregation assembled that evening to hear him preach. 
About all manifested their desire for sanctification by ris- 
ing to their feet. In his sermon on Sunday he identified 
the inheritance in sanctification with the promise made to 
Abraham. At the afternoon service about fifteen were 
at the altar seeking full salvation. 

In this section of the country Brother Warner found 
many warm hearts. They had read his articles on holi- 
ness in the Church Advocate, and had doubtless heard 
of his rejection by the Ohio Eldership. He held meet- 
ings at Beaver Dam, Yellow Lake, and Silver Lake. His 
diary gives the following account for Sunday, May 26, 
at Yellow Lake. 

Sabbath. This day was put in for God. From my waking 
moments this morn I began to plead with God for the salvation 
of the people. Had gracious answers to prayer. Was sure 
God would save a number of souls. We had announced a fast 
all day, and meeting to begin at 10 A. M. and continue until 
4 P. M. The house was filled. Had a lively testimony-meeting. 
Preached on the tabernacle (Hebrews). Several at the altar. 
But there seemed to be a dulness. None grasped the blessings. 
We had speaking-meeting, but the interest seemed to be moder- 



1 64 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

ate. I was impressed that the dear little ones were hungry, and 
Satan said we had better close. But, glory to God, I knew that 
God would yet come and save souls, as he impressed me in the 
morning, hence I held on to him. Preached a short discourse 
on faith and gave another invitation. Several came to the 
altar for sanctification and soon the holy fire fell on us from 
heaven, and all were sanctified. Some that were not at the 
altar received the blessing. The Holy Ghost filled the house, 
and there was great rejoicing. A fellowship-meeting resulted 
from following the Spirit; and as the dear ones went about 
shaking hands many, yea, about all in the house, were melted 
to tears. I gave another invitation and then friend Yocum 
came out, also Brother Bear's daughter, and another young 
lady for sanctification. She soon received a glorious baptism, 
and Sister Bear was converted. Came home with Brother Bear. 
We did not get to close until nearly five o'clock. Spent much 
of the time until eve on my knees. 

Eve, house crowded. People were there from a distance of 
six and eight miles. I preached mainly to sinners. I had 
announced a few nights ago that I had an impression to preach 
to the unconverted, but I ! now see my mistake. I should have 
made no such announcement. The Spirit seemed to be baffled 
in giving me a subject. I did more preaching myself tonight 
than I have for a long time, was conscious that Christ Jesus 
was not preaching as much as usual. Thank the Lord for the 
lesson learned. Three at the altar. Brother Yocum was greatly 
smitten down by the Spirit; all physical strength was gone. 
About 9:30 P. M. we dismissed the congregation, but Brother 
Y. would not leave the altar. Several of us stayed until after 
eleven. He was measurably blessed. He has been a very good 
moral, benevolent, and honorable man, and thought heretofore 
that he had but little sin and could easily get salvation when 
he once came for it; but he found himself a great sinner under 
the searching light of the Spirit. 

Glory to God for this day's work! It was a high day for my 
soul. Among the fourteen sanctified were two very fine young men 
by the name of Smith. They are brothers, both school-teachers, 
and I pray that God will make them both very useful. 

He found a wide-spread awakening for holiness in this 
part of Indiana. The time for the annual Eldership 
Meeting of the Church was at hand, and he asked the 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 165 

Lord whether he might not} stay and attend the meetings 
instead of going to the Eldership. As there were others 
who could continue the meetings the Spirit seemed to re- 
lieve his mind of all burden! for that place, and he felt it 
his duty to attend the Eldership. 

June 1, 1878. Came home today. Found family well. At 
the General Eldership I found that the leaven of full salvation 
was working. Had many private talks. Found some in the ex- 
perience, but rather mute. Strengthened them. Many spoke of 
my articles in the Advocate and said they were seeking light. 
But the Eldership possesses little of the power of godliness. The 
first night it made me mourn for Jerusalem. Here were assem- 
bled the best elements of the whole church, and yet I could feel 
no God in her. There' was no spirit of devotion, no communion 
with God. Pride and nearly every other manifestation of car- 
nality were manifest. God save the Church. Thank God for the 
blessing of home and family. Dear Wife met me at the train. 

9. Sabbath [at Findlay]. Awoke before day. Was much 
pressed in spirit for Brother Burchard. Arose early and had a 
gracious season of prayer. Was led out much for Brother B. 
At 10:30 A. M. heard him preach. A dreadful death reigned 
over the congregation. He. spoke with a good deal pf energy, 
according to his pathetic temperament, but he surely had not help 
by the Spirit. But I think he is honest, and if he had the 
cloud of prejudice removed from his mind he would want full 
salvation and would be useful. Oh, that God would lead him 
into the light! 

Feeling that he should visit his father, in Williams 
County, he took train for Bryan, Ohio, on the 10th, ar- 
riving there late in the evening. The account of the 
death of his father and of the events that followed are 
here given. 

June 11. Arose earJy. After devotion and my usual morning 
bath, I paid for lodging, went to the baker's and got a loaf of 
graham bread, and started on my way. Got to ride about, five 
miles and footed the rest. Reached Father's about half-past ten. 
Found him very weak, and failing. He was overcome by emo- 
tion when I came in. His breathing is difficult. I soon sought 



1 66 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

a private room and poured out my heart for his salvation. 
Brother Joseph is staying with him all the time. Father can not 
last long. Oh that God would be pleased to have mercy upon his 
poor soul! 

14. Father still failing. 

15. Brother Lewis reached here about 5 P. M. Eve, went to 
the Cogswell Schoolhouse to hear Bro. Henry Barckley, but he 
having gone from home did not appear. I was asked to improve 
the time. After prayer I began to look to the Lord for a mes- 
sage, but nothing came to hand. Soon young Brother Wallace 
came in. He came by request to fill the appointment. He had 
only once before tried to preach. He was indisposed to go ahead; 
but I told him that I thought it was the order of the Lord. He 
consented. Did well enough, but needs the special unction of 
the Holy Ghost. I talked some. 

16. Sabbath. L. W. Guiss came at four o'clock this morning. 
Father failing very fast this morning. At 10:30 A. M. met a 
congregation at the Cogswell Schoolhouse. Heb. 7:25. God 
blessed his precious word. Mr. Guiss, my brother-in-law, who has 
become a bold infidel, was much affected by God's truth. Some 
wept for clean hearts. I asked all who knew they were children 
of God to hold up their hands. A good number responded. I 
then asked all who could testify to perfect salvation from all sin 
to hold up their hands, but there was no response. But when 
I asked all who wished to be wholly the Lord's to hold up their 
hands, a number responded, some with tears. Time would not 
permit altar exercise. 

Took dinner at Brother Joseph's and came back. Found 
Father declining very fast. Poor man, he is near his end, yet 
unsaved. my God, must my poor father go into eternity bear- 
ing all the sins of his past life! Oh the death of an immortal 
soul! Since God has converted my soul and called me into the 
ministry, I have often seen Father's heart touched by divine truth 
and the Holy Spirit. Tears flowed freely, but he would not yield. 
When I began to preach, twelve years ago, I spent a summer at 
home, and he afterward told Mrs. Rang that my constant praying 
gave him much trouble and that he was glad I was gone. I 
marked the deep convictions that followed him all that summer 
and hoped he would soon be brought to God, but he wore them 
away. Two years ago this coming July my beloved mother 
passed away gloriously saved. She held his hand and exhorted 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 167 

him until he trembled. Not long after, I; came home and spoke 
in the Dean Church, when he was greatly melted down. I gave 
an invitation to come to God, but again he refused Christ. Since 
his last illness, I have daily implored the mercy of God upon his 
poor soul. Since I have been with him I have talked to him 
about his soul, but do not see that he was awakened to his con- 
dition. I felt that all depended upon the blessed Holy Ghost to 
discover to him his sin and awful danger. He asked my prayers 
and songs of salvation. He shed tears over the wicked infidelity 
of G., my brother-in-law; but when he made any reference to 
his hope he based it all upon his principles of honesty and doing 
right and that he had favored a good many persons in his life, 
etc. He confessed some misgivings of conscience for not having 
been confirmed in the Lutheran Church as he had promised his 
parents he would when married; but said he, "I always felt some 
way that I could not get religion." When conscious of much 
distress he would wish he might die. Once he feared that he 
might have to lie a long time, and when on a certain occasion 
his throat seemed to be closed against food, he said, "I just be- 
lieve that it is my doom to lie here and waste away ; that there is 
nothing grown for me to eat any more." Frequently he ex- 
pressed a strong desire to get well; but I never heard him say 
that if he did he would live a different life. 

I went alone into the woods where so often I sought God and 
his grace when a young convert. I had a long and precious com- 
munion with God. Returned. Father is very rapidly approach- 
ing his end. He can not live through another night. Once while 
I was wetting his lips hq looked very pitifully at me and said, 
"If you could only give me something that would make me well ! " 

my God, how hard it is to close a life that was not given to 
thee! But it is appointed unto man once, to die, and after this 
the judgment. Joseph feels this stroke very much. I thought it 
best not to go to the schoolhouse this eve. 

9:30 P. M. Father is gone. He passed off with no struggles 
or convulsions. His spirit has left the body. Probation is ended, 
and a lifeless corpse only remains. I sensibly feel the cords of 
love that bind my heart to my last earthly parent, but the gentle 
breathings of the Spirit of God seemed so graciously to sustain 
me that all was calm within. I felt a perfect loyalty to God and 
all his providence that so sweetly over all prevailed and gave me 
such perfect peace that I could not even weep. Oh, how tran- 



1 68 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

quilizing to my soul was the deep assurance that God doeth all 
things well! 

17. Brother Joseph is almost down sick with sorrow and loss 
of rest. Poor father lies a corpse. Two brothers* L. W. Guiss, 
and I wore away the long melancholy day as best we could. 

18. Last night at twelve o'clock Mr. Double awoke me and 
said there were some gentlemen without that had a telegram for 
me. I arose and dressed, feeling a very calm peace keeping me. 
The Holy Spirit brought these words to me: "He shall not be 
afraid of evil tidings." The following was the dispatch: "Come 
home, your child is very sick. L. W. Keller." I came in, ex- 
amined the papers and my railrpad guide. Found that a train 
left Bryan at 8 A. M. that made connection at Toledo, bringing 
me to Upper Sandusky at 1 P. M., but it I waited for a later 
train I should not reach home until late at night. What shall I 
do? Here lay my father cold in death, to be buried this A. M., 
and should I stay or not? I had a season of communion with 
the Lord, and the Spirit seemed to say go. I took my usual 
morning bath, packed my valise, and started to my brother Jo- 
seph's, bidding adieu to my brother Lewis and my lifeless father, 
the latter of course to see no more until the heavens cease to be 
and the earth shall flee away before| the approach of the great 
Judge of the human family. 

I was conveyed to Bryan by David Warner, my nephew. Im- 
proved the time in meditation and prayer. I recalled the feel- 
ing that had rested upon me for some days, a deep solicitude 
for my family. Both on Sabbath and yesterday I went out into 
the woods where I usecj to seek the Lord when a convert and 
besought God to preserve my dear family. I also felt led to ask 
God to try us in any way he wished to. I felt the ; need of some 
trial of our faith and loyalty to God. 

In my deep meditation and fervent prayer to God the time 
passed off swiftly with the fast gliding train, and at 1 P. M. we 
reached Upper Sandusky. Leaving my valise, I walked out at 
once and found the dear child very sick, having first taken down 
with a sick stomach and then with the affliction developing in the 
brain. The precious creature recognized me and made an effort 
to embrace me with her loving little arms. Her sweet little lips 
could responsively receive a father's kiss, but they were silent 
for want of sufficient strength to articulate. A good number of 
kind neighbors were in attendance, and I at once saw what was 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 169 

threatening the very life of the poor little sufferer. She was ex- 
quisitely fine in the texture of brain and her head measured nine- 
teen inches in circumference around her forehead, and she had 
a very sensitive nervous temperament. Hence it was extreme- 
ly important that the most perfect silence should be main- 
tained in her presence, and with this strong nervous action, with 
any sickness or weakness, much talk and noise would necessarily 
draw the disease to the brain. I had her removed frpm the room 
where the family mostly stayed and everybody came in, to a 
more retired room ; demanded silence and forbade more than two 
at a time to be in the room. Sarah; had seen the necessity of 
such regulations, but many dear good old sisters, not knowing 
their importance, were much inclined to sit around the lounge 
and talk, and not being in her own house she had not been able 
to enforce them. 

19. Dear Levilla still low, but I had good hopes of her re- 
covery. Spent as much time as I could with the Lord. Left all 
with him. 

20. Dear child still dangerous, but we trust some better. 

21. The doctor could see no improvement. 

22. Wife and I thought Levilla better and still clung to the 
Lord for her life if it be his will to restore her; but all others 
had given up hope. We thought it impossible that we should do 
without the company of this sweet little creature. 

23. Sabbath. The doctor did not come as usual this morn- 
ing. I presume from the report last eve he supposed she was 
dead; but all day she seemed better. P. M., sent for doctor. He 
thought she had some symptoms for the better, which raised our 
hopes. Eve, a number came in and despite our efforts to keep 
them away they would crowd around the dear child. She grew 
worse. She had had very light spasms all day but they did not 
seem to hurt her; but now she began to fail fast. Phlegm began 
to accumulate in her little throat, making it difficult to breathe. 

24. Toward morning the poor little sufferer was compelled to 
struggle hard to get her breath, and it became apparent that 
unless God miraculously interposed, her suffering must soon end 
in death. While we sorrowed for her suffering, we felt a calm 
and sweet resignation to the will of God, to whom the dear child 
belonged. We could say in truth, "Thy, will be done." At five 
o'clock in the morning her redeemed spirit was freed from its 
earthly abode and taken away to be with Jesus and holy angels. 



1 70 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Now remained only the poor little emaciated body. As we 
recalled the large, active, plump, and rosy-cheeked Levilla, we 
could scarcely help but exclaim as we looked upon the reduced 
and colorless form, "Is this Levilla? Can it be that this is our 
child?" Since my return I had anxiously cherished a hope that 
ere long I should hear those sweet lips utter words again; but 
they are now silent in death, or rather the sweet and dreamless 
sleep that shall pass off when the Lord comes to call us forth 
from our earthly repose. 

25. . . . Brother Leay conducted services. We looked 
for the last time upon our beloved child, whose sweet and inno- 
cent little form was robed in its little white dress and skirts, with 
a beautiful little bouquet of flowers protruding from her little 
hands folded upon her heart. As my dear wife was deeply af- 
flicted with her departure, her sweet little face seemed to speak 
forth from its little white coffin and say, "Weep not, dear mother, 
for though your loss seems to be great, my gain is infinitely 
greater. I have gone to the better land, where sickness, sorrow, 
pain, and death never, never come." 

We laid the dear and only child in the Mission Cemetery at 
Upper Sandusky, near the road at the west side, between two 
evergreens. There with sad, yet resigned, hearts we left her to 
sleep beneath the angels' care until called forth at the last day. 

Levilla Modest was born Mar. 18, 1875, near Seward, Nebr. 
She passed from suffering to the society of angels June 24, 1878, 
and was therefore three years, three months, and six days of age. 
She was a child of more than ordinary mental ability. Her or- 
ganic quality was the very finest. Her temperaments were san- 
guine and mental. Her brain measured nineteen inches. Though 
of such great nervous activity, we had by careful diet imparted 
to her a good, large physical structure. She measured three feet 
five inches. She was very knowing about all kinds of work, and 
ever eager to assist. For some months past she would stand upon 
a chair beside her mother and wipe knives, forks, spoons, saucers, 
etc., with the utmost care and perfection. She would do the most 
of her dressing and undressing, and never failed to hang up or put 
away every garment and everything she handled. She seemed 
to have very fine taste and perfect order. Her causality was 
wonderfully developed for a child. . . . She daily astonished us 
with questions concerning everything she saw, and her remark- 
able ability to anticipate , what next was wanted, and with what 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 171 

eagerness those little feet ran errands for mother and father, and 
grandmother and grandfather. Since eighteen months old she 
would sing parts of familiar tunes and hymns. I believe her 
first was Happy Day. For some time past she would tread the 
organ with one foot, place her little fingers upon the keys, and 
sing loudly, "Halleluiah, 'tis done," "I am washed in the blood 
of the Lamb," etc. She had a remarkable tendency to imitate 
all that was pure and religious. Shei often had her little prayer- 
meetings by herself, and would teach older children to engage 
with her in her childish prayers and songs. After attending an 
ordinance where she paid marked attention to the saints* wash- 
ing feet, the next day she called for a washbowl of water and 
washed her feet, then took off her mother's shoes and stockings 
and washed and wiped her feet and gave her a kiss. Every even- 
ing she kneeled at her mother's knee and said her little prayer. 
At the sight of the picture with raised hands she was sure to say, 
"Man lift up hands and praise the Lord." In her sickness she 
would sometimes sigh out, "0, praise the Lord!" . . . She 
excelled all other peculiarities in the wonderful depth and fer- 
vency of her affections. Her love seemed to possess the purity 
and strength of one fully renewed in the image of God and yet 
the innocence and simplicity of a child. As she placed those 
precious little arms around our necks and gave the warm kiss, 
we could not help but feel that this was real and not mere child's 
play; and those embraces were free for all who sought them. 
. . . This is my birthday; a sad one: but still in the midst 
of all the Lord supports me and comforts. Though we can not 
understand this bereavement, yet God knows all about it and will 
doubtless bring our highest good and his own glory out of it. 
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed is the name 
of the Lord. 

26, 27. Spent the time largely in communing with God. Wrote 
some letters. 

29. Wife and I drove to Tiffin. When about one mile from 
the city our beast, that we thought very safe and quiet, began 
to make efforts to run off. \ held her, when she began to kick 
desperately. I turned her to the side of the way and got her 
stopped. Before this I was out. I told Sarah to get out behind 
if she could. We had a top-buggy. The curtain was rolled up, 
but she could not get out. The beast; was loose from the buggy 
all but the holdbacks. Sarah got out and stood a moment, when 



1 72 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

she found that she was hurt. Some friends came up just then. I 
gave the mare to one to hold and I helped Sarah to the fence, 
where she sat upon a stone. We found that she had been hit 
upon both limbs. On one the mare's hoof (she had no shoes) 
cut through linen duster, dress, skirt, and stocking, and cut 
a small wound to the bone. She had much pain. Three or four 
men kindly tendered all the help they could. They took us in a 
one-horse wagon to Tiffin, having fastened our buggy behind, 
and one led the mare. We came to Sister Lewis'. A small con- 
gregation gathered and I preached a short discourse, of course 
on holiness. 

July 2, 1878. Got a crutch for Sarah. She concluded that 
she could go home by railroad. Took her to the train and com- 
mitted her to the care of the Lord. I drove the mare and buggy, 
trusting in God for his protection from all harm by the way. The 
Lord preserved me from harm. Found dear Wife had safely 
made the trip. 

4. Spent much of the day picking berries all alone with the 
Lord. Meditated upon the goodness of God in continuing our 
national blessings. 

6. Spent the day in prayer, meditation, and reading. Im- 
pressed with the duty of preaching against the enormous sin and 
galling yokel of sectarianism. 

7. Sabbath. God helped me and blessed me in exposing the 
yokes of Satan by which God's children are brought under bond- 
age. 

On the 12th of July, 1878, Brother Warner, accom- 
panied by his wife, made a second trip to Indiana. He 
stopped in Goshen with Mr. Guiss, his brother-in-law, on 
the 1 8th. As the latter was a bold and reckless infidel, 
he did not enjoy his visit there. He felt that he was stay- 
ing where the Savior was excluded and that he could be 
admitted only apart from him. 

He reached Yellow Lake on the 20th, and found that 
the meetings had been carried on for a few evenings after 
he left in May. Several had been saved. On the 23rd 
his wife returned home to Ohio, while he went on to Au- 
burn, to Brother Lowman's, whom he found firmly estab- 
lished in holiness. When he and Brother Lowman began 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 1 73 

to open their minds to each other he found that both had 
been impressed with the idea of together printing a holi- 
ness and church paper, Brother Warner to edit the for- 
mer and Brother Lowman the latter department. 

After discussing the publishing project with Lowman 
he returned to Ohio, to Wood County, where he held a 
number of meetings and assisted in a camp-meeting near 
Rising Sun, and also attended a United Brethren camp- 
meeting at Portage. He speaks thus of a manifestation 
in his meetings at Rising Sun : 

Aug. 22, 1878. Mr. Gay, a spiritualist, or rather a mesmerist 
who possesses a superior mind and is believed to be possessed by 
evil spirits, was present. He has attended for some time and has 
at different times attempted to mesmerize me while preaching. At 
a few of the last meetings his wife has been seeking sanctification, 
and he has made some good speeches in favor of the gospel. 
Today from the) beginning of the meeting he began to maneuver 
his spiritism. He made many strange motions; walked the floor 
once and tried to dance. It is probable that this was all involun- 
tary on his part. But we all kept our minds on Jesus and God 
through the Holy Spirit to take care of him. He began to show 
signs of distress, got upon the floor, wept and cried out. A 
stronger power than the indwelling one had taken hold of him. 
His suffering became more intense. His wife brought him water 
and he drank some. She fanned him for a long time, and he be- 
came speechless and seemed nearly suffocated. 

In September, Brother Warner attended the Ohio 
Holiness Camp-meeting held on the fair-ground at Ma- 
rion. Of his experience there he records the following : 

Sept 8, 1878. Sabbath. I began to fast on Friday. Ate 
but little yesterday and nothing this forenoon. The Lord came 
very near to me. Oh, how he let me down to nothingness! I 
saw and felt ashamed of the trouble the Lord has had with me. 
I sank down into the dust before him, and instead of wondering 
why God did not give the greater measure of power that the Spir- 
it impressed me I should have I was led to wonder that he had 
intrusted me as much as he had. Oh, what shameful weakness 
and many errors were disclosed by the more perfect light that 



1 74 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

God has flashed into my soul! God, let me be buried deeper 
and more perfectly hid away with thee. 

12. Came home. An incident in this camp-meeting should 
be recorded to the glory of God. Brother Rudic took sick not 
long after he came here. After lying in camp a few days he was 
taken to Brother Kennedy's. Prayers were being offered for him, 
still he grew worse. Last Saturday night he sent word to camp 
that after meeting a few believers should get together and ask 
God in faith for his recovery. They di-I so, and great power and 
strong assurance came upon them. They claimed the answer to 
their prayer, and some of the number were able to praise God 
for the brother's restoration just as if he had been raised up be- 
fore their eyes. Sister Lea, who had taken violently sick that 
eve, was also taken to the Lord with much assurance. The next 
morn both were in camp perfectly healed. Brother R. suffered 
so much during the night and was so reduced that he thought 
he surely must die, and made some arrangements for his depart- 
ure. But early in the morning he began to look to God once 
more, when his faith joined that of the party in the camp at elev- 
en in the night, and he arose, instantlv made whole. All glory 
to God! 

Following the part just quoted there is a gap in his 
diary until October 2, the entry for which will explain. In 
this, one observes his humility, his deep self-examination 
and his desire to exalt God alone. 

Oct. 2, 1878. Today I resume my pen again, with an earnest 
endeavor to record some of the mercies and blessings of God 
upon my poor soul. After I returned from camp-meeting, the 
Lord saw fit in his tender love to suffer affliction to befall me. 
Yea, "I was brought very low, but he helped me." I had bilious 
remittent fever and an attack of hemorrhage of the lungs. Friends 
and even a physician were much alarmed and felt my work was 
done. As soon as taken down, I ordered cards sent to the "litde 
ones" at different places to pray for me. I put my case in the 
hands of the Lord and wished only his will. Dear Wife was 
kept in great tranquility of mind through an unwavering faith in 
God that he would raise me up again. My rest in God was so 
deep and perfect that I hardly knew anything of my physical 
condition. I thought myself but slightly ill, when others des- 
paired of my life. For a few days I talked only in a whisper, and 



A PREACHER OF HOLINESS 1 75 

when I began to recover I was astonished to find myself reduced 
to a mere frame and unable to stand. 

During my afflictions, the Lord not only kept my mind in per- 
fect peace, but also taught me many precious lessons of my lit- 
tleness and his exalted greatness. Oh! let us praise and magni- 
fy the name of the Lord. I saw myself but a speck of dust rest- 
ing upon an invisible grain of sand. Oh, how the eye of God 
scrutinized my past life and showed me yet more than at the 
camp-meeting my weakness and unworthiness! Oh, how vile I 
had been in the sight of God! How many times Satan had suc- 
ceeded in resurrecting some self in me! The Spirit has plainly 
shown me that I should never speak of having prayed for certain 
persons in connection with their conversion, etc. Oh! I am so 
ashamed of my folly and weakness in often relating such things. 
I thought I was doing it all to the glory of God, but now I can see 
that there was some self in it. Lord! save me in the future 
from such presumption and sin. I thank thee for this affliction, 
for I know it is all for the good of my soul. Thou hast also 
shown me that I have boasted too much of my health and ascribed 
it too generally to my knowledge of and prudence in observing 
natural laws. God forgive me of this offense. I thank thee 
that thou hast such a constant supervision over all thy works that 
every good must be ascribed to thee and thanks be given to thee 
just the same as if no means were used at all to convey them to 
us. Blessed God, let me sink down forever out of self. I cried 
unto thee and thou hast healed me. Thou hast brought up my 
soul from the grave. Thou hast kept me alive that I should 
not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, 
and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness! 

3. I have had) a desire to attend the Northern Indiana Elder- 
ship, which convenes tomorrow eve. But Wife and friends all 
intreated that I should not venture from home in my present 
weak condition, so this morning I went! to my study to write a 
letter to that body; but before doing so I consulted the Lord, 
when he gave me a strong baptism of the Spirit to go and a 
strong assurance that he would abundantly support me and 
strengthen me. I said: Lord, I will go in thy; name. I firmly- 
declared my intentions. Wife began to take the matter to the 
Lord and soon felt resigned. Oft through the day as I thought 
of going the Spirit would come upon me, and I increased in 
strength with wonderful rapidity. 



1 76 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

On the morning of the 4th he was conveyed to town 
to take the train. The weather was unfavorable and 
there was some rain, but he felt he was carrying out the 
Lord's purpose and the Lord sustained him. From Ada, 
Ohio, to Fort Wayne, Ind., he had the company of Bros. 
S. Rice and C. E. Rowley, two prominent holiness evan- 
gelists. He reached Silver Lake in the evening and was 
conveyed to Beaver Dam, the place of the Eldership 
meeting. 



X 

NORTHERN INDIANA ELDERSHIP 

The pagan system of Freemasonry began to make in- 
roads in the body of Christians known as the Indiana El- 
dership of the Church of God. A storm of opposition 
arose from some who were of the more spiritual element 
of the Church when a number of the members became 
affiliated with the Masonic Lodge. It appears that the 
main body of the Eldership did not object to secret soci- 
eties, and the result of the agitation was that a number of 
ministers who stood for the opposition and refused to fel- 
lowship Freemasons were expelled from the Eldership 
and were denied a renewal of their licenses. Others left 
the body of their own accord. In consequence a new El- 
dership was formed called the Northern Indiana Elder- 
ship. 

Among those who constituted the original members of 
the new Eldership were Elders J. Martin, J. S. Shock, 
C. Clem, E. B. Bell, B. F. Bear, I. W. Lowman, and J. 
W. Ray. The new body came into possession of most of 
the church property and the best churches. They appoint- 
ed a Board of Publication, which took steps to begin pub- 
lishing a paper devoted to the interests of the cause for 
which they stood. Accordingly there appeared in Janu- 
ary, 1 878, the first number of the Herald of Gospel Free- 
dom, a monthly periodical published from Wolcottville, 
Ind., at fifty cents a year. It stood for the promotion of 
gospel truth and freedom, opposition to all oathbound 
secret societies, Freemasonry in particular, and loyalty 
to God and conformity to his Word. I. W. Lowman 
was editor. 

At the Eldership meeting which convened at Beaver 
Dam on Oct. 5, 1878, and which was the third annual 



1 78 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

session, Brother Warner was voted a member. In his 
diary for October 5 appears this account of the proceed- 
ings: 

5. A good deal of time was given to prayer during the day. 
Much unnecessary business usually gone through with in the vari- 
ous Elderships^ was dispensed with. All went off smoothly and 
with love. Not a grating word or discordant note in all that was 
said and done. No one was called to order; no one was materi- 
ally out of order. The manner in which business was done and 
the good degree of devotional spirit with which it was pervaded 
was a great stride from the carnal and formal wranglings of 
Elderships of the present to th$ simplicity and spirituality of an 
apostolic Eldership. Praise God, he is leading his children out 
into the glorious freedom of the gospel. 

The most of the time was devoted to the publishing interests, 
A very important measure was enacted — that of enlarging the 
Herald, issuing it semi-monthly and devoting a part of it to the 
promotion of Bible holiness. Praise God for this glorious 
movement. It is wonderful how he is controlling things for his 
glory. Probably a large majority of the Eldership are not in the 
experience of full salvation, and of course some are disbelievers 
in it, among whom are some of the preachers. Brother Shock, 
one of the number, the present speaker, is probably our most 
talented man. But all glory to the name of God, he controlled 
all these elements so that Satan could not move one to open 
his mouth against this work of God, and this Eldership voted 
to support holiness as a second experience. Trusting in God, 
I can see glorious results from this project. It is bringing about 
what the Lord showed me last winter; that is, a people straight 
before God in holiness and truth. By this blessed little organ 
God is going to bring the true church foundation and Bible truth 
into the hands of holiness people, and holiness doctrine into the 
hands of Church of God members, which must result in a divine 
union of truth and holiness. And this is just what is wanted to 
save the world. Holiness, the great lever of power, has since the 
Reformation been weakened and encumbered by party names and 
creeds and human traditions ; whereas the Church of God, though 
established upon eternal truth, has nevertheless been without 
strength to accomplish her mission for the want of perfect holi- 
ness, the divinely appointed power to bring the world to God. 



NORTHERN INDIANA ELDERSHIP 1 79 

At this session of the Eldership, as Brother Warner 
says, special attention was given to the Eldership's paper, 
the Herald of Gospel Freedom. During its first year it 
had been a 1 by 15 four-column folio. It was now in- 
creased in size to a five-column 1 3 by 20. It was made 
a semi-monthly and its subscription price advanced to sev- 
enty-five cents. Lowman was reelected editor and publish- 
er and Brother Warner was elected associate editor to 
conduct a new holiness department. A number of special 
contributors were chosen. A music department, already 
established and conducted by Professor J. F. Kinsey, of 
Cincinnati, was to be continued. The best exchanges 
were secured, and with this prospect the paper started on 
its second year, 1879. A portion of the prospectus for 
that year is here given. 

PROSPECTUS OF THE HERALD FOR 1879 

This paper was started one year ago as the organ of the 
Northern Indiana Eldership of the Church of God, a body of 
Christian workers who were raised up through the following 
circumstances : 

Several ministers of the Church ,of God in Indiana through a 
scrupulous regard for truth and righteousness refused to fellow- 
ship men who were yoked together in the dark leagues of 
secrecy. For thus reproving the works of darkness their licenses 
were withheld. Accordingly through the providence of God and 
the force of circumstances they formed themselves together as 
an independent body, recognizing God as the founder of his own 
Church and all true Christians as her real membership. 

The Bible is their only creed, and Christian character their 
only test of fellowship. 

The labors of this little band have been signally blessed of 
God, and their members increased. 

The Herald, all things considered, has; been a decided success. 
At the recent session of the Eldership Eld. I. W. Lowman was 
reelected Editor and Elder Warner was elected Associate Editor. 

As heretofore, it shall be! the aim of the Herald to "contend 
earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," not a part, 



180 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

but the whole faith of the gospel, ignoring the traditions of men, 
reproving the works of darkness and enforcing all the will of 
God. 

It believes in raising men to the Bible standard of holy living 
by leading them into the Bible measure of grace. 

It advocates a salvation that lifts men above the regions of 
mere duty and places them in such sweet and perfect harmony 
with, God that they delight to do his will; a salvation that con- 
strains to every good work by the infinite power of perfect love, 
and not by the lash of the law. 

Viewed from a human standpoint the Herald may appear to 
possess two separate features; namely, that of an organ of the 
Church of God and an advocate of holiness. But viewed from 
a pure Bible standpoint these distinct features naturally blend 
into one effort to restore and propagate the pure religion of the 
Bible. 

Church signifies "called out." The divinely given title, Church 
of God, therefore denotes the called out of God or separated unto 
God. Holiness means the same thing; that is, to be separated 
from all sin and wholly given up to God. 

The editors of the Herald firmly believe that apostolic truths 
and Bible holiness can not be separated. 

The work of holiness has been too long encumbered by human 
creeds and disintegrated parties among its friends. 

Though holiness as a distinct experience is the most precious 
and important truth of the gospel, its wonderful triumphs have 
been much limited and rendered comparatively unstable for the 
want of being identified with all other Bible truths and divested 
of human systems. 

Upon the other hand, the Church, ever accepting the only in- 
fallible and divinely authorized standard of discipline and wear- 
ing the only church title that was "given by the mouth of the 
Lord," is utterly disqualified to perform her appointed mission 
in bringing the world to God unless she be girded with the invinci- 
ble power of perfect holiness and the full and distinct baptism of 
the Holy Ghost. 

Truth is mighty; but holiness, being the fulness of God in man, 
is almighty. The union of these divine forces, we believe, will 
make a complete conquest of this world for God. 

To restore the divine plan in the harmonious action and the 



NORTHERN INDIANA ELDERSHIP 1 8 1 

spread of these elements of salvation is the primary object of the 
Herald. 

A part of the paper will therefore be devoted especially to that 
doctrine and experience of entire sanctification, to be conducted 
by the Associate Editor, the Editor-in-Chief being also fully in 
line with holiness definitely through the blood. 

With an unshaken trust in God, and confiding in thel integrity 
of our cause and the support of all lovers of truth and Christian 
purity, we begin Vol. II of the Herald in the name of the Lord 
Jesus. 

I. W. Lowman, 

Editor and Publisher. 
D. S. Warner. 
Associate Editor. 

An entry from the dairy, dated October 7, contains an 
interesting item and will close this chapter. 

As I arose this morning and approached the Lord I was led 
to ask my heavenly Father for some means, as I was entirely 
destitute, having been just able to pay my ticket fare here by 
the addition of a postage-stamp which through the kind provi- 
dence of God I happened to have and the agent was kind enough 
to take. I came down, washed, and took my little morning walk 
for exercise and meditation, returned, and as soon as seated 
Father M. said, "I feel impressed that I should give this brother 
some money and I believe we all ought." He handed! me a half 
dollar and the several brethren all followed with half dollars 
and quarters. Glory, honor, thanks, and praises be unto God our 
Savior forever and ever! Oh, bless the Lord, my soul, who sup- 
plieth all my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ 
Jesus ! 



XI 

EDITOR AND AUTHOR 

The difficulties and privations incident to Brother War- 
ner's years of faithfulness in the ministry, his persecu- 
tions on account of holiness culminating in his expul- 
sion from the Ohio Eldership, his bereavements of some of 
his nearest relatives — all were serving to draw him only 
closer to the Divine and thereby fitting him for greater 
responsibilities and usefulness. As we become acquain- 
ted with his career and the mission to which God had 
chosen him, we discern the hand of Providence leading 
him to his appointed field. 

On his return to Upper Sandusky from Tiffin on Apr. 
9, 1 878, he found some urgent calls to go to Indiana, and 
he said, "I think the Lord is in it; expect to go next week." 
At this time he became more fully awakened to the im- 
portance of abandoning all party names and creeds and 
returning to the "faith once delivered to the saints" in its 
entirety. At this time, also, he began to have some con- 
ception of the printing-press as an aid in publishing the 
truth. The manuscript for a tract on the subject of holi- 
ness, which he was writing, was growing to the propor- 
tions of a book, and he began to pray for means to have it 
published. He "received gracious answers by the Spirit," 
as he says, and the following night while he was lying 
awake in meditation, the Lord opened up to him the new 
field of publishing holiness by means of the printing-press. 

Over the State line, in Wolcottville, Ind., the Lord had 
prepared the opportunity. The little paper Herald of 
Gospel Freedom, was in its first year, and its editor, I. W. 
Lowman, was favorable to holiness and had been im- 
pressed that Brother Warner should conduct a holiness 
department in the paper. The appointment was made at 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 183 

the Eldership meeting, as stated in our previous chapter. 
As usual when undertaking any responsibility, Brother 
Warner placed himself in entire dependence upon God. 
He thus speaks of the project: 

Oh, that God may endue us both with grace and wisdom to 
discharge this solemn and important calling! my God, I cry 
unto thee for help! I am sure thou hast put me under this 
solemn and responsible charge. Now thou must qualify thy poor 
tool for the work. Be pleased, Lord, to touch my heart and 
all my intellect and religious powers afresh with the Holy Ghost. 
Be thou thyself my qualification. I am so glad thou hast prom- 
ised to be my wisdom. Oh, give me also thy mind. Be thou the 
fountain of all knowledge and goodness in me. Lord, I accept 
thee for my ALL. 

His holiness articles contributed to the Church Advo- 
cate, the regular Church paper, had been effective and 
had won for him openings and warm hearts in various 
places. He possessed excellent gifts for writing as well 
as for speaking. His discourse was entertaining and in- 
structive. He began his editorial duties in much physical 
weakness, as, it will be remembered, he was just recover- 
ing from a severe illness that laid low his naturally weak 
frame. 

Oct 16, 1878. Feeling bad. Much fever. Called upon the 
Lord. Fasted most of the day. Applied water frequently to my 
head and back of my neck. Was compelled to do some writing 
in order to be in time with my continued article. This greatly 
increased my fever and pain in the head. 

17. Gathered some apples for myself. Feeling better. Praise 
the Lord! 

18. At twelve Brother Lowman and I started to Wolcottville. 
Undertook to me the enormous task of walking to Waterloo, a 
distance of three and one half miles. The roads were muddy. 
I soon felt that it was impossible for me to go through on my 
strength and began to look to God. I took him for my strength. 
All glory to God and the Lamb, when we reached the station I 
felt stronger than when we started. Lay over some time in Ken- 



184 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

dallville. Visited printing-offices, as we are contemplating the 
purchase of press and type to run the Herald. 

19. The Lord is opening the way for us to buy a whole 
printing-office here very cheap. Praise his name! 

On the 24th he visited Rome City in view of finding a 
suitable place to reside. He felt directed to locate here, 
and wrote his wifei to come. On the 26th of November 
they moved to their new location. He bought the south 
half of lots 103 and 104 for $213. 

The entry for the new year, Jan. 1, 1879, is of inter- 
est. 

Since the last account my time has been closely devoted to 
writing for the Herald and on my little book. This seems to have 
been the order of the Lord, and he has most wonderfully blessed 
me in the work. The Spirit is continually taking the things of 
Christ and showing them to me. Glory to God for the new beau- 
ties and blessed unfoldings of divine truth under the clear light 
of the "anointing that abideth and teacheth of all things." The 
luminous heavens of revelation seen through the all-searching 
telescope of the Holy Ghost raise many texts that were but dim 
and of doubtful application to the definite purifying grace, to their 
true magnitude of absolute authority; while one beautiful, blaz- 
ing constellation of Bible truth after another is brought to view 
until the adoring soul sees no end to the divine evidences of the 
"second' grace" save the end of revelation itself; and even there 
the Spirit takes up the eternal theme and writes it all over the 
soul, on the tablet of the heart and upon every fiber of our 
conscious being; yea, writes it upon the "merchandise" of the 
saints all over the entire universe of God's creation, on every 
surrounding object. Even "upon the bells of the horses shall 
there be HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD." 

We can begin to see the effects under God of "praising the 
beauty of holiness" in this place in our prayer- and class- 
meetings. Many express, a hunger for full salvation, and as we 
frequently present our dear neighbors to God in prayer, the 
Spirit seems to indicate a glorious harvest of souls in this place 
in the near future. All glory to God! 

And now, my soul, another year of thy earthly career and time 
to work has passed away. Thank God, it was the first whole 




i 



s 



186 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

year of my life that I have dwelt in the Canaan of perfect love 
and sinless glory. All its events through God have indeed worked 
together for good to my soul. 

11. Since last writing we have constantly shared the goodness 
of God. The time has been closely devoted to writing on my 
book and for the Herald. The Holy Spirit has greatly assisted. 
The weather has been very cold, as much as twenty-four degrees 
below zero. The first week of the new year was observed as a 
week of prayer. The weather being severe, but few attended our 
union prayer-meeting. Last night in the name of Jesus we began 
a meeting here in the Methodist church-house on the line of 
holiness. 

The book he speaks of was the Bible Proofs of the Sec- 
ond Work of Grace. It was printed and bound the next 
year, 1880, at the E. U. Mennonite publishing house in 
Goshen. Two thousand copies were printed. It con- 
tained 493 pages and was, it would seem, an almost ex- 
haustive treatise on sanctification as a second work of 
grace as shown by the Scriptures. It was counted an 
excellent book by the holiness people and leaders, and 
doubtless accomplished much good. Copies of the book 
may yet be found in individual libraries. This was the 
first book of which Brother Warner was the author. He 
became the author of a number of publications afterward. 

27. Closed meeting tonight. A few souls have found Christ 
a perfect Savior. The leading elements in the M. E. Church did 
not come near during the meeting. Some did all they could 
against it. The preacher in charge a week ago made a very 
brave defense of sin in the flesh, justifying rather than condemn- 
ing it. Oh, the shameful clamor for sin! the dead and godless 
condition of the Church! Surely her glory has departed. Some 
who were longing for full salvation, when they saw the united 
influence of an apostate church arrayed against this very funda- 
mental doctrine of their creed, were scared away from the good 
purposes of their heart and away from the meeting. Poor souls! 
Having lost a good conscience they can not look me in the face; 
and vainly they talk of growing the remaining sin out of the 
heart. Oh, that God would appoint salvation for this people! 

Feb. 2, 1879. Have been very busy writing during the past 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 187 

week. Brother Lowman moved the press here last Thursday. 
Praise the Lord! He showed me by the Spirit that I should locate 
here, and that the press would be located in this place, when 
nothing had been thought or said about it. Oh, I am so glad 
the Lord does lead his little ones! I can do much more for the 
paper now. Oh, that God would keep Brother Lowman and me 
straight on the line of holiness and continue to make the Herald 
a real herald of gospel freedom! Our circulation is increasing, 
thank the Lord! 

10. It is wonderful how God takes care of his dependent little 
ones. When we came here, kind friends bade us farewell with 
some sadness, fearing that the holiness evangelistic work would 
not support us here, where we had no friends and acquaintances. 
But what a lesson our heavenly Father has taught us! He has 
abundantly provided for us, even at home. I must record s,ome 
of his kindness. 

Fuel is rather scarce here, wood quite high, and the weather 
being quite severe I could not well see from whence we should be 
supplied. But as we do not walk by sight I trusted all in the 
hands of the Lord. We have a neighbor who is a very wicked 
man, but no loving children of God could be more kind and 
benevolent to us than the whole family are. They tell us by 
word and action that we shall not want for any good thing while 
they have it. Another very wicked young man had bought 
twelve acres of timber about three miles from town. The best 
timber and most of the nicest cord-wood timber had been taken 
off. My kind neighbor asked him how much he would take for 
all that remained, and to his utter astonishment he said, "I will 
give it to you for five dollars." Neighbor and I had talked the 
matter over before and he agreed to take me in partnership if 
we could get the wood reasonable. He was true to this agree- 
ment, and we both have wood enough to do us for two or three 
years. 

This is nothing else than the dealing of God. Oh, who would 
not trust thee, blessed Father of mercies! Thou art all love and 
boundless goodness. But thou art also perfect wisdom, therefore 
will we trust thee when thy providence seems to be against our 
wishes and inimical to our happiness; for we know that such can 
only be in appearance, because of our ignorance. Oh, we thank 
thee that we can rejoice in all thy righteous will; for as thou art 
thyself love, nothing but love can proceed from thee. 



188 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

11. Bro. L. Spencer and Brother Kimmel brought me home, 
each bringing me a load of wood from my place of procuring fuel, 
When arriving home, I found wife well as usual. Arrived at 
one o'clock, and at two I was to preach the funeral of Miss 
Sigler. Poor girl, I visited and prayed with her last Saturday 
before leaving home. The family are not religious, the father is 
quite wicked and intemperate; but Mary gave me satisfactory 
evidence that God had forgiven her sins. However, when about 
to die she was left in great distress of mind. Brother Newton, 
residing near by, was sent for; he prayed for her. She obtained 
the victory and closed life in peace. 

The temperance meeting that was in progress when I left con- 
tinued with success until tonight. Over three hundred signed the 
pledge, and a permanent organization was effected. 

23. Sabbath. A. M., preached in Albion on faith. P. M., 
led the holiness meeting and organized a holiness band of sixty- 
six members. Praise the Lord, they expect to work for the 
Master in spreading holiness. 

On the 1 1 th of March he and Elder Lowman drew up 
articles of agreement by which they were to be joint edi- 
tors and publishers of the Herald and all other papers, 
books, etc., issued from their office. Brother Warner was 
to pay Lowman $250 for a half interest in the paper and 
office. Both were to bear half the expense of publishing 
the Herald and any other publications. Both were to 
share equally in all the income of the office except the 
job-work, which Lowman was to do with his own press 
and stock, and receive the proceeds. Brother Warner, 
however, was to realize fifteen per cent from all the job- 
work he should procure. All manuscripts written by or 
donated to either party after the date of their agreement 
were to be jointly published and owned, and all manu- 
scripts written by or donated to either party before the 
date of agreement were to yield to the owner ten per 
cent more than one half the proceeds. 

From this time the diary entries are rather scattered, 
until finally they cease altogether. This is owing to the 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 189 

fact, doubtless, that the events of his life were associated 
with evangelistic and editorial effort and went largely 
into the paper as news items. 

May 4, 1879. Sabbath. Went to hear Brother Allison, 
United Brethren minister. He requested me to talk. I did so, 
with great liberty and power of the Spirit. Brother A., who had 
hitherto been an opposer of distinct holiness, was overwhelmed 
by the power of God and truth, and confessed that it was Bible 
doctrine. Another man, whose carnality was greatly stirred, 
turned pale, grew nervous, and finally interrupted me with ques- 
tions and contradictions. Just then God sent an increased volume 
of sweet love to my heart. Glory to God! Burning coals were 
freely heaped upon his head, and soft words soon turned wrath 
away, and after meeting he humbly apologized., 

17. Brother and Sister Shock brought me to Syracuse. Be- 
ing late, Brothers Martin and Bell had left just a few moments 
before. Brother and Sister* S. began to lament their disappoint- 
ment. I began to praise God, for the Spirit seemed to say, "I 
want thee with me alone today." I said I expected a glorious 
time by the way. They looked astonished that I was so free from 
complaint and regrets. They suggested that I should go by the 
cars. I remarked that the conductor would probably put me off, 
as I had no money. I praisecj the Lord that he would be my 
strength to walk. They looked the more strangely as I started 
off with praises to the Lord. I hope that God may convince 
them of the blessedness of the rest of faith. Walked about six- 
teen miles to Warsaw, and God did most wonderfully bless my 
soul by the way. Reached Warsaw about 3 P. M, without 
fatigue or hunger. Called at Brother Barber's a few moments. 
Looked for a team that was going out south, but had to take the 
train, the Lord having told Brother Barber to give me fifty cents 
to pay fare. Brother Lowman was' on the train. After reaching 
Silver Lake we had three miles more to walk to Gospel Hill. 
Praise God, he was my strength this day, even without food from 
early morning till late in the eve. 

18. Sabbath. Brother Bear and many dear holy ones came 
f;om Yellow Lake and elsewhere. Glorious time in the Lord. 

P. M., met at half-past two. I was urged again; to lead the 
meeting. The Spirit of the Lord was wonderfully upon me; 
anointed me to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Halle- 



190 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

luiah! The deep prejudices began to give way; opposition 
ceased; God was triumphing. 

Eve, Brother Lowman having the sore throat, Brother Martin 
not being well, and Brother Bear having left, I was much humbled 
before God in talking again to the people. I was brought low in 
the dust at the thought of being too prominent among the breth- 
ren in thus leading the meeting so much. 

June 4, 1879. This is the fifth anniversary of our marriage. 
Took early train for home. Found dear Sarah quite ill; may 
the Lord bless the precious object of my strongest earthly love. 

July 4, 1879. Sarah and I got a horse and buggy and went 
out three miles and picked a fine lot of raspberries, and thus 
escaped the throng and rabble that filled our little picturesque 
city. Oh, how much more sweet and comfortable to get away 
with the Lord alone! 

6. Sabbath. At home. Unwell. The Lord sent a young 
man here today, that I might have something to do for Him. 
Some weeks ago I found the poor wayfarer at the lake, fishing. 
Having learned that he was a stranger and without money I 
brought him home for the night. He seems very teachable. I 
tried hard to get him to call upon the Lord and be saved. This 
is the second time he has been to see us, not having found us 
at home the former time. He is a very intelligent Swede. Has 
had some practise in type-setting, and has corresponded some for 
papers. 

Aug. 6, 1879. Came to Warsaw camp-meeting. The Lord 
was at work, many being saved. About forty tents occupied. 
Bishops Weaver, William Taylor and a host of preachers present. 
Rejoiced to form the acquaintance of Brothers Lambert, Krupp, 
and Low, of the New Mennonite Church. They are gloriously 
saved and definite for Jesus. We found a wonderful affinity in 
our hearts* If the Lord will, I shall attend their conference. I 
pray God we may become one fold. 

The Lord did not have his way fully in this meeting. Too 
much looking to men. 

Sept. 3, 1879. Took train for Upper Sandusky. Found Wife 
and friends and many of the holiness workers already on the 
camp-ground. 

10. Meeting closed tonight. A mob of two or three hundred 
of the baser sort were let loose by Satan upon us. They threat- 
ened everything to Bro. W. T. Ellis, against whom they were 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 191 

incensed by what appears to have been imprudent conduct of 
his own. We finally succeeded in escorting him through the 
surging, raging rabble to our quarters. Some eggs were fired 
upon us. This Brother E. is indeed to me a mystery. His con- 
duct is very rough. He is truly a "new sharp threshing-instrument 
having teeth." Notwithstanding he provokes malice from the 
world and forfeits confidence of believers, he brings souls to God. 

On Tuesday we had a faith meeting. Special faith and gifts 
of healing were considered. All who had infirmities which they 
believed the Lord desired them to be healed from presented them- 
selves before the Lord, and several remarkable healings were per- 
formed. Sister Monnett, from Bucyrus, who walked upon 
crutches, was made whole, and used them no more. Another 
sister was healed by the Great Physician of a spinal affliction 
which she had had from her youth. The next day she was sur- 
prized to find that even the deformity had disappeared. Praise 
God! 

22. Came home via the Baltimore and Ohio. 

24. Went out to the Mennonite conference in the Hawpatch, 
about nine miles from here. 

26. Bade these beloved brethren farewell, feeling that our 
hearts are wonderfully knit together in love. They appointed 
a delegate to our Eldership. 

27. Met beloved companion this eve at our Eldership at 
Yellow Lake Bethel, she having come directly from Ohio. 

29. Sessions very pleasant, even spiritual. After leaving the 
house, very strange feelings came over me. I felt sure that the 
powers of darkness were about to make a desperate rally. We 
stayed up at Brother Bear's and prayed until one o'clock. I then 
lay down and took a short sleep, when the Spirit bade me arise 
and go out in the woods. Oh, what wrestling and agony of soul! 
What burden of heart and cries unto God for the salvation of 
his cause- in that lone place from about 4:30 till 6 A. M.! Re- 
ceived some relief and victory. An evil spirit seemed to be upon 
the session from the opening this morning. The foreseen dark- 
ness was there. Business did not pass off so pleasantly. At noon 
I spent all the time shut up with God, and received great relief 
from the mountain that seemed to crush my heart. This was a 
new and strange experience to my soul. Closed business at a 
late hour at night. The Eldership purchased the office from 
Brother Lowman and me. 



192 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Oct. 1, 1879. Sarah started home this morning. I felt led 
to go to see the brethren in the Cook neighborhood and Warsaw 
concerning the formation of a State Holiness Alliance. 

14. Received an urgent call to go to Wakarusa. Was led 
to go. Asked God for the means, and in less than one hour a 
gentleman came and summoned me to affirm a small matter be- 
fore the court, which any of my neighbors could have done as 
well. 

21. [At Palestine.] Quite a good turn-out. Two quite zeal- 
ous Christians who disbelieved the second work of grace — a 
father and son — both spoke. The first believed in sanctification 
as a gradual work after pardon and consummated at death. The 
latter testified that he received it in conversion. What incon- 
gruity in the two, but harmony in all who have the fulness! 

Eve, read prophecies of the present holiness movement. Ex- 
horted the many holy ones present to fill the Bible description of 
God's holy army, moving out in every direction, setting the wilder- 
ness on fire, invading every city, casting down every wall, stay- 
ing and burying Gog, beating the mountains fine, and blowing 
the mass of chaff from the Lord's threshing-floor (Ezek. 38, 39). 

23. Came home. Among the mail awaiting me was a card 
stating that obligations to the amount of $45 must be paid at 
once in Wolcottville. Blessed be the Lord, another letter con- 
tained the precise amount of $45, that had been due me nearly 
a year from Nebraska. Glory to God, he supplies all our needs. 
How perfectly he meets all our wants! 

Nov. 16, 1879. Sabbath. A glorious meeting was in progress 
at Churubusko. Brother Wood, the leader, had taken sick and 
the little ones were praying to the Lord to send some one to pro- 
claim the word of the Lord. We heard of the meeting and at 
once were moved to go. We found the Methodist Episcopal 
house crowded. A good band of holiness witnesses and singers 
all had their eyes on the Lord to send a man to lead the host. 
Praise his name, he anointed me for the work and a glorious 
meeting ensued. Four or five fully saved. 

17. This morning we found Brother Wood still quite sick. 
The doctor anticipated a severe attack of bilious pneumonia fever. 
We anointed him with oil and the Lord heard prayer in his 
behalf and raised him up at once. 

18. Brother Wood quite well and able to work in the meetings. 
Held a special faith-meeting today. Prayed for the restoration 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 193 

of the boy who is perfectly deaf. We were not at all discouraged, 
but felt it our duty to continue in prayer from day to day just as 
we often have to do with those seeking pardon and purification. 
19. After our day meeting a brother and sister and I formed 
one of the visiting committees. When nearly sundown we found 
a poor suffering "woman who was a sinner," and blind for some 
time, and afflicted with much pain. We told her that Jesus 
could wash away her sins and heal and open her eyes. The Spirit 
soon brought on conviction and new-birth labors. She was 
gloriously converted, and giving a shout she sat down, and after 
a few seconds composure said, "Glory to God, I can see! My 
eyes are healed!" She then embraced her child and husband, 
whom she had not seen for about two weeks. She had lost all 
power to move her eyes, and they were both turned upward in 
her head. She was very weak, having eaten but little for days, 
and she sat with her hands over heit eyes to exclude the light. 
Now she had the lamp lit and proceeded at once to get supper. 
All glory to the Great Physician! Twenty-seven sanctified souls 
arose t<* join into a holiness band. Hallelujah! God is muster- 
ing his host to the battle. 

The accounts immediately following, in which he 
speaks of consolidating the Eldership with the Mennon- 
ites, show that he had not as yet gotten away from the 
idea of an external union in addition to that which the 
bonds of salvation alone can afford. He had already 
made a trip to Goshen, and had met Brother Lambert 
and others of the Mennonite faith. 

Dec. 5, 1879. Am pushing my book to completion. Today 
Sarah and I started for the joint meeting of our Standing Com- 
mittee and the Mennonite Quarterly Conference at Hawpatch. 

6. Drove eight miles this morning to the place of meeting. 
Was happy to meet with those beloved brethren once more. Had 
a joint convention. The subject of consolidation was warmly 
advocated from both sides, while our hearts glowed with the 
unifying glory of Jesus Christ. The following preamble and 
resolutions were adopted: 

Whereas, the God of all grace has most emphatically taught us 
in his Word that his church is one as the Father and Son are one, 



194 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

and that a manifestation of this unity is to be the world-saving 
salt of the church. 

Therefore, we, as the professed sons of God and members of 
the United Mennonite Church and the Church of God assembled 
in the name of Jesus Christ in a joint meeting, do confess it our 
duty to put away from us every accursed thing that might in the 
least distract, divide, and alienate us in heart, or cause diver- 
gency in practise; and for the sake of securing an answer to the 
prayer of the adorable Savior, we do solemnly agree to abandon 
anything not warranted by the Word of God and accept any and 
everything it teaches. Therefore — 

I. Resolved, That we joyfully consent to the will of our Lord 
and Savior Jesus Christ and agree to unite in one body as soon 
as in the providence of God the consolidation can be consum- 
mated, and 

II. Resolved, That we recognize the Word of God as the only 
true basis of Christian union. Furthermore, 

III. Resolved, That we believe that the truth as it is in Christ 
Jesus is within our reach, hence, can be ascertained on all points 
of difference, and that we are therefore morally bound to learn 
and abide its decision. 

14. [At home.] Preached at the Wesleyan house at 1 P. M. 
on faith iii, relation to gifts of the Spirit. In the evening at the 
United Brethren house on the philosophy of faith. 

16. Though very stormy, quite a company of dear brethren 
and young men turned out to chop and haul me wood. Oh, the 
goodness of God! 

Jan. 1, 1880. Last night after a very successful and powerful 
meeting at Chambers* Schoolhouse we came to the watch-meeting 
at Albion. The Spirit greatly moved us to come. On reaching 
the house I dropped on my knees, when the Spirit gave me a 
searching message for the people. We kept up until after twelve. 
The old year passed away while we were on our knees in solemn 
consecration to God. 

This is the last quotation which we make from his di- 
ary. By the first of the year he was given full charge of 
the Herald, and any further record of his life-events must 
be found in the papers which he was editing. Unfortun- 
ately, from Jan. 4, 1 880, the date of the last entry in his 



EDITOR AND AUTHOR 195 

diary, until the issue of the Herald for Nov. 7, 1 880, is a 
gap over which we must bridge with silence, as I have no 
access to any copy of the Herald for that year other than 
the one mentioned, nor have I been supplied with infor- 
mation from any other source covering that period. In it 
is also announced that the following resolution was passed. 
"Resolved, That we are willing to consolidate the Her- 
ald with any other paper that advocates the same gospel 
principles." 

In the number of the Herald referred to is printed the 
decision of the Board of Publication to make the follow- 
ing announcement: "Edited in the name of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, by D. S. Warner, Rome City, Ind. Dedi- 
cated to the God of the Bible and to the service of all 
saints who desire to love God with a pure heart fervently, 
and the holy Church he has established over eighteen hun- 
dred years ago." 

From his book Bible Proofs we have drawn material 
for our next chapter. 



XII 

A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 

In his book Bible Proofs of the Second Work of Grace, 
Brother Warner devotes three chapters to the prophetic 
description of the great work of restoration in the latter 
times, when, through the preaching of holiness and the up- 
holding of the full Scriptural standard of truth, God 
should bring his people into unity again. This chapter 
is intended as an abridgement of the three chapters re- 
ferred to. 

I wish to say by way of introduction that many of the 
events in the history of ancient Israel are figures of and 
have their counterpart in things occurring in the Christian 
dispensation. And many of the utterances of the proph- 
ets, associated primarily with the events of those times, 
have their fulfilment as well iri connection with the things 
foreshadowed. To regard these prophetic writings as 
referring only and finally to the literal affairs of the peo- 
ple of the Old Testament is to stop far short of their in- 
tention and use. The old dispensation was preparatory 
of the new. It was full of types and figures of things to 
be realized in the latter. Everything pointed forward in 
anticipation of the fulness of times when God should es- 
tablish his new and better covenant with his people. Shall 
we say then that the prophecies did not share this anticipa- 
tion; that they had to do only with the literal figures? 
Nay, it was the spirit of prophesy more than anything else 
that foretold of the times of the gospel dispensation, not 
only by direct reference, but also in many of those pas- 
sages which touched first those immediate affairs in Is- 
rael's career and through them those greater things far- 
ther on. We note how the New Testament writers picked 
up the Old Testament prophecies and applied them, with 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 197 

such reference as "that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophet," or, "as it is written," etc. 

But let us not suppose that the applications of prophe- 
cy were to be confined to the days of Christ and the apos- 
tles. Many things were said of David and other Old 
Testament objects that had their extended and more im- 
portant fulfilment in Christ or in the establishment of the 
church, but there were other utterances that had their 
final import in the later affairs of the New Testament king- 
dom. Those that cluster about the captivity of Israel in 
Babylon and their reestablishment in their own land and 
the rebuilding of Jerusalem are especially rich in secon- 
dary application to the corresponding crises in the history 
of the church. 

It is thus that many of the prophecies have a two-fold 
application, not that they mean two different things, but 
that they apply to both the literal and spiritual phases of 
the same thing. A sufficient proof of this lies in the fact 
that in the Revelation, where their spiritual meaning is as- 
sumed, we find the same Old Testament figures. There 
is unity of purpose in God's system of types and figures 
and in his plan throughout, and hence many of the proph- 
ecies that pertained in the first place to events in the his- 
tory of Israel are used by the Spirit today in connection 
with the antitypes of those events. 

Great epochal events or changes in which God by some 
particular institution unfolds his plan, or in which there 
is involved the divine approach to man, whether for ap- 
proval or for judgment, are attended more or less by vio- 
lent manifestations in the earth or the elements. Thus on 
the occasion of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai the 
mountain shook and smoked and there were thunders and 
lightnings, and the people trembled. At the crucifixion of 
Christ, the central event in all history, the sun hid his face 



198 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

and the earth shook, the rocks were rent and graves were 
opened. The Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit 
was with the sound of "a rushing mighty wind." When 
the apostolic church prayed for the special endowment of 
divine power, "the place was shaken where they were as- 
sembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost." When the imprisoned Paul and Silas prayed 
and sang praises to God, the divine response came with a 
great earthquake which shook the foundations of the 
prison, opened all doors, and loosed every one's bands. 
On the day of final judgment the very earth will be moved 
out of her place and the elements will manifest the awful 
day of God, 

The shaking of things, as accompanying the divine vis- 
itation, is also taken in the spiritual, or figurative, phase, 
and it is this application of the idea of shaking as used in 
the Scripture that Brother Warner employs in reference 
to the great spiritual movement of these latter times. As 
a key to the prophecies on this subject he uses Heb. 12: 
25-29, which reads as follows: 

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped 
not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not 
we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven : 
whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, 
saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 
And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those 
things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those 
things which can not be shaken may remain. Wherefore we re- 
ceiving a kingdom which can not be moved, let us have grace, 
whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly 
fear: for our God is a consuming fire." 

We have here two distinct shakings. The first one, ac- 
cording to the apostle's words beginning with verse 18, 
plainly refers to the manifestation at Sinai when the first 
covenant was given to Israel (Exod.19). The second 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 199 

shaking attends the voice which in this dispensation speaks 
from heaven. The former was a literal shaking, while 
the latter is of course spiritual, and attends the establish- 
ment of the new covenant. "See that ye refuse not him 
that speaketh" is in the present tense to this dispensation 
and is an injunction for us. 

Now, the new covenant involves the very highest stand- 
ard of relation between God and his people, a standard 
much superior to that of the old Sinaitic covenant. It is 
distinguished by the laws of God being written in our 
hearts and comprehends our perfect obedience to them. 
In this relation we become his people and he our God' in 
the very closest sense (see Heb. 8:10, and 10:16). This 
relation is none other than entire sanctification, which to 
attain requires the complete crucifixion of the self-life, the 
destruction of every idol, and entire abandonment to God. 
It is a close-girding covenant and admits of no sin either 
in practise or in the heart. The words "yet once more" 
refer to the shaking as final and to the standard of truth 
as being perfect, ne plus ultra, and as therefore consisting 
only of things unshakable. 

It is the voice calling to this holiness standard of the 
new covenant that produces the mighty shaking, causing 
both earth and heaven to tremble. Whenever this voice 
is heard, whether in the beginning of Christianity or in a 
movement that effects the reestablishment of the new cove- 
nant in the hearts of God's people today, the shaking oc- 
curs. Both sinners and professors are made to tremble 
at God's mighty truth and he who would obey the divine 
appeal must suffer the shaking loose and consequent loss 
of all things contrary to the divine will, however dear they 
may be in the selfish affections. God has through grace 
made it possible for one and all to measure to this stand- 
ard, so that for him who refuses the voice that speaks thus 
from high heaven there is positively no escape. 



200 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Our quotation from Hebrews leads us back to the 
prophet Haggai, whose words in chapter 2, verse 6, are 
what the apostle doubtless refers to. This introduces us 
to that field of prophecies relating to the captivity and 
the return, so typical of the apostasy and of the final res- 
toration of the true church in these last days. It should 
not be a thing incredible that the great spiritual events of 
these epoch-making times should be in accordance with 
prophetic utterance, nor that the Holy Spirit should lead 
Brother Warner, as he testifies to having been led, into 
these things as prophetic truth. Indeed the reader, if he 
be a seeker after truth, should not be surprized to find the 
Holy Spirit confirming to his own mind that these things 
have a prophetic illumination. Brother Warner's refer- 
ence to these prophecies, and his comments, are here given. 
Of Heb. 12:25-29 he thus speaks: 

On the 30th of August, 1879, the Holy Spirit in a special 
manner gave me the foregoing scripture. I had never clearly 
comprehended its meaning and I felt impressed that the Lord was 
about to lead me into a new vein of truth. I shut myself up with 
God and the Bible, when "the Comforter, which is the Holy 
Ghost," took most of the things that are contained in what follows 
and showed then} to me. Being fully assured that my mind had 
been led into the pure light of truth, we published it from the 
pulpit, much to the edification of the holy brethren. We feel 
confident that the following chain of Scriptures, correlative with 
our text, will conduct every meek and candid reader into the 
same light it has your humble servant. We shall find the fore- 
going words of the inspired apostle a key to the prophetic de- 
scription of the great work of holiness. . . . 

Let us examine the same declaration elsewhere in the Holy 
Book. Haggai 2:5-7: "According to the word that I covenanted 
with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth 
among you: fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet 
once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the 
earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all na- 
tions, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 201 

house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." The rebuilding of 
the temple is the subject under consideration. This ancient abode 
of the great Shekinah was such a marked figure of the church of 
God that it is seldom spoken of by the holy seers but what the 
spirit of prophecy flashes forth in interspersed references to the 
"spiritual house." Says the prophet, "The glory of this latter house 
shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and 
in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts" (v. 9). 
Is it not in the midst of his church where God speaks peace to 
thousands who seek his face? Let us also thank God for the 
gracious intimation that the glory of the restored, latter-day 
church shall exceed that which preceded the dark-age captivity. 

It is quite evident that the words in verses 5-7 were in the 
mind of the apostle when he wrote the words of our text. And 
we find here additional evidence that the "once more shaking" 
relates to the triumphs of the gospel, because it is associated 
with the coming of Christ, not as Judge, but the "Desire [or 
Savior] of all nations." . . . 

God never designed that we should 

"Roam through weary years 
Of inbred sin and doubts} and fears, 
A bleak and toilsome wilderness." 

If you have not passed through the Jordan, the death-convul- 
sions of the "old man" of sin, to the Canaan, rest, it is because 
you have either ignorantly or wilfully "refused him that speak- 
eth," and "entered not in because of unbelief." . . . 

"I will fill this house with glory." Here is the glory that 
Christ gives: "The Spirit of glory and of God," that fills and 
rests upon the church when inbred sin and all weights are 
shaken out. What is here associated with the "once more" shak- 
ing corresponds with entire sanctification. 

The prophet Ezekiel gives us a very interesting chain of con- 
curring prophesy. Who with his spiritual eyes open can fail to 
see the application of the 34th chapter of Ezekiel to the ministry, 
in general, of this age? They "eat up the good pasture" — fare 
sumptuously on fat salaries. 'Ye tread down the residue of your 
pastures' and 'foul the waters with your feet.' They are the real 
cause of spiritual famine instead of the means of refreshing the 
flock. "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool." Make 
a lucrative merchandise of your Christless sermons, instead of 



202 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

administering the free gospel of salvation. "Ye kill them that 
are fed: but ye feed not the flock." When any find their way 
to the true Shepherd and receive food, life, and holy fire in their 
souls, they annoy the dead and sleeping, who proceed at once to 
kill them. This is no idle fancy. It is an undeniable fact that in 
most of our present-day churches • a real convert can scarcely 
maintain spiritual life. The few that are not killed are usually 
driven or thrown out. ye shepherds, a crisis from the Almighty 
is coming upon you. As the Lord liveth, the fires from heaven 
shall sweep away your craft. "Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; 
and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: 
for the- days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are ac- 
complished" (Jer. 25 : 34) . Their time of feasting upon and dis- 
persing the Lord's flock will come to an end. 

"I will deliver my flock from their mouth," and "they shall 
no more be a prey" (Ezek. 34:10, 22). "I will seek out my 
sheep, and will deliver them out of all places [sectarian divisions] 
where they have been scattered [into several hundred parties] 
in the cloudy and dark day" (v. 12). We talk of the dark age as 
in the past; but the seer of God declares that we are yet under 
its lingering fogs, and shall, be until holy fire from heaven shall 
sweep away every partition-wall, human creed, and party name, 
and purge out that infamous god, the sectarian spirit; the vile 
"image of jealousy" which sits in all 1 the thresholds of Babylon. 

"And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them 
from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and 
feed them" (v. 13). Yea, "I will feed them in a good pasture, 
and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be" (v. 
14). "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall 
feed them, even my servant David, [Christ — David was already 
dead four hundred years] ; he shall feed them, and shall be 
their shepherd" (v. 23). 

The perfect reign of thq Messiah, and his love in the soul, is 
to succeed the dark day of party confusion. The two are not 
compatible with each other. "And I will make with them a 
covenant of peace" (v. 25). Their own land, and this covenant- 
union with God, is simply entire sanctification. See Jer. 23. . . . 

In Ezekiel 35 we have the judgment of mount Seir. Seir — 
rough, shaggy — we presume is used [in the typical sense] to 
denote the Catholic power. 

It was inhabited by the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 203 

who were therefore brothers with Israel, the descendants of 
Jacob; but the Edomites had a deep-rooted and perpetual en- 
mity against Israel, they harassed and distressed them by all pos- 
sible means. (See A. Clark.) "Behold, mount Seir, I am 
against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and 
I will make thee most desolate . . . because thou hast had a 
perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of 
Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in 
the time that their iniquity had an end." (vs. 3-5). Does not 
this look like the record of the "beast that sits upon the seven 
hills"? Martyrdom, it appears, is confined to such times when 
God's people have reached an "end of sin." 

As the spirit of prophesy uses mount Seir to represent Catholi- 
cism in chapter 35, and the Caucasian mountains [Gog and 
Magog, see Bible dictionary] to represent sectism in chapters) 38 
and 39, so in chapter 1 36:1 the "mountains of Israel" are used 
to represent the true conscientious Christians. The Lord says, 
"Set thy face against mount Seir," "against Gog," and "prophesy 
against him;" but in reference to the mountains of Israel, the 
order is changed to "prophesy unto," showing that the former 
were rejected, but the latter accepted of the Lord; to these very 
precious promises are made. In the latter part of the chapter we 
have associated together salvation "from all uncleanness," the 
gift of the Holy Spirit, and "bringing into the land," i. e., the 
land of perfect holiness. . . . 

The spirit of prophesy now takes up another figure to set forth 
the holiness crisis and the glorious effect in those "that abide the 
day" of the Refiner's coming. "Moreover, thou son of man, 
take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the 
children of Israel, his companions: then take another stick, and 
write upon it, : For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the 
house of Israel his companions : and join them one to another into 
one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when 
the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou 
not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus 
saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which 
is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, 
and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and 
make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand" (Ezek. 
37:16-19). 

Who does not know that this never was really fulfilled in the 



204 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

alienated sects of Jacob's literal seed? While it may apply to 
the formation of the church in the beginning of the reign of 
Christ, it was specially designed to typify the return of the church 
to God and the mount of holy union after the "falling away" or 
"cloudy and dark day." The figure does not properly suggest 
the formation of a new church state, but the gathering) again of 
a divided and starved-out church under the pastorate of corrupt 
and self-aggrandizing shepherds. "I . . . will gather them on 
every side, and bring them into their own land ... I will save 
them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, 
and will cleanse them, so shall they be my people and I will be 
their God. And David [Christ, "the root and offspring of David"] 
my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one 
shepherd" (vs. 21-24). Nothing but entire sanctification can 
unite the saints under the direct control, and headship of Christ, 
through the Comforter. 

"And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob 
my servant, wherein your fathers [in the day of the church's 
purity] have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and 
their children, and their children's children forever: and my ser- 
vant David shall be their prince [even Christ, for him hath God 
exalted to be a Prince and a Savior] forever. Moreover I will 
make a covenant of peace with them; . . . and the heathen shall 
know that I the Lord da sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall 
be in the midst of them! forevermore" (vs. 25-28). Here is the 
solution of the whole matter. The reception of the Spirit, unit- 
ing into one, placing in the land, cleansing, and the "covenant 
of peace" under the glorious reign of the "Prince of peace," is 
all summed up and consummated in the sanctification of the 
church through the indwelling of the Holy Trinity. 

Instead of exterminating the idols and "Canaanites in the 
house of the Lord of hosts," the "shepherds of Israel" have 
catered to their unholy lusts. They have so long truckled to the 
world in the church, so long fawned and pampered sin under the 
cloak of religion, that a terrible conflict ensues whenever it is 
attacked by the sword of the Spirit. This crisis is described in 
the two following chapters, namely, Ezekiel 38, 39. 

"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, 
the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against 
him, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against 
thee, Gog" (38: 2, 3). The Bible dictionary applies Gog and 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 205 

Magog to the Caucasian mountains, a chain that extends from 
the Black Sea to the Caspian. The Scythians of those regions 
were a fierce and warlike people. For many years they had 
made their name a terror to the whole Eastern world. They 
were finally conquered and driven out, B. C. 596, a few years 
before the time of Ezekiel's prophesy. These events being fresh 
in the mind of the ancient seer, the prophetic spirit employs Gog 
and Magog to represent the acrid and intolerable spirit of sec- 
tarianism and its final overthrow. 

Meshech and Tubal, allies of Gog, are noticed in history as 
"the remotest and rudest nations of the world." David, it is 
probable, spoke prophetically of the same contentious, unsanc- 
tified zeal: "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech. . . . My 
soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace, 
but when I speak, they are for war" (Psa. 120:5-7). 

In applying the army of Gog and Magog to the false, deceived, 
and sectarian forces, the enemies of the Lord's true and holy 
church, I am clearly sustained in Revelation 20:8-10, where 
they are declared to have been deceived by the devil, therefore 
have a spurious religion — are professors. "They compass the 
saints on the breadth of the earth ; " hence are diffused throughout 
all nations and everywhere arrayed against the holy; but shall 
be finally destroyed by fire from heaven. This vast army Ezekiel 
represents as 'coming from their place out of the north parts* 
(38:6,15; 39:2), indicative of a cold and heartless religion. 
The attack upon the "land" by Gog, shall be in the "latter years," 
"the latter days," (38:8, 11). This language all through the 
prophets points to the last, or present, dispensation. 

"In the latter years thou shalt come into the land [the sanc- 
tified] that is brought back from the sword [saved from the car- 
nal, sectarian "strife of tongues"], and is gathered out of many 
people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always 
waste;" i. e., more or less destitute of the apostolic faith and 
power. 

God sets the testimony of his anointed against the worldly 
churches. Gog in return makes war upon them. But being dead 
to sin, and having a resurrected life, they are an invulnerable 
army. "They shall dwell safely all of them" (v. 8). 

"And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall 
come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my 
fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the 



206 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

fire of my wrath have I spoken. Surely in that day there shall 
be a great shaking in the land of Israel" (vs. 18, 19). When 
the sword of the Almighty is unsheathed against self-righteous 
orthodox sinners, there is soon war in the camp, and a general 
commotion in the heavens and the earth. The two-edged sword 
of definite testimony is now wielded in every church, which has 
never been the case in any of the past holiness reforms. . . . 
Amen! Let the battle rage, though the heavens and the earth be 
moved. Send down the fire, Lord, send fire from heaven, and 
burn every Gog-schism out of the church! Yea, saith the Lord, 
"I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell care- 
lessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord." 

The burning of the weapons and burying of Gog is described 
as the cleansing of the land — the church. Therefore it is the 
special work of sanctification, and the heavens and the earth 
are now shaken by the tread of God's holy army, who are 'severed 
out to continual employment, passing through the land to cleanse 
it/ 

Let us now begin with 1 Pet. 4:17, 18. "For the time is come 
that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin 
at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of 
God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the 
ungodly and the sinner appear?" Here is a trying ordeal, a 
judgmental shaking of the church parallel with that described 
in Hebrews. It is the execution! of Christ's verdict of death to 
sin in the flesh. "The time is come." Scriptures thus introduced 
almost invariably refer to some previous prediction. In the proph- 
ecies of Isaiah we find what is doubtless the antecedent of Pe- 
ter's words: "I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge 
away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: ... afterwards 
thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with 
righteousness" (Isa. 1 : 25-27). 

The judgment of Zion, the house of God, is her full redemp- 
tion. It is the hand of the Almighty 'p ure Jv purging away the 
dross and all the tin' from his church, that it might be called the 
"city of righteousness." This experience is not for the sinner, 
nor is it confined to the aged and dying; but the "converts" in 
Zion, saith the Lord, shall be redeemed from sin, by the spirit 
of judgment and the spirit of burning. This purging is parallel 
with the removing of those things that are shaken. 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 207 

"In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and 
glorious [i. e., 'sanctified and cleansed, a glorious church* (Eph. 
5:26, 27)], and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and 
comely for them that are escaped of Israel [have 'escaped the 
corruption that is in the world']. And it shall come t,o pass, 
that he that is left in Zion, and! he that remaineth in Jerusalem, 
shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the 
living in Jerusalem: when the Lord shall have washed away the 
filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood 
of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the} spirit of judgment, 
and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:2-4). This explains the 
words of Peter very clearly; the judgment of the house of God 
is a divine washing and purging. The church, having passed 
through the spirit of judgment and of burning, all that are left 
therein "shall be called holy." Therefore, we understand the 
words of Peter as having reference to the sin-consuming flames 
of the Sanctifier, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which corre- 
sponds with the shaking of the church, of which Paul speaks 
in Hebrews; for he concludes by saying, "Our God is a con- 
suming fire." 

If ever there was a time when Peter's words were pertinent, 
it is now. The hand of the Almighty is upon his church, and 
he will smite and humble it with his judgments; shake it with 
his voice from heaven, and consume it with the flames of his 
Spirit until every foul spirit is driven out and all the "works of 
the devil" destroyed; that nothing may remain but the pure, 
unalloyed elements of the divine "kingdom, which can not be 
shaken." No wonder the churches so often fear and dread the 
coming of God's holy bands; yea, "a fire burns before them," 
which quite frequently closes all meeting-houses and every other 
place where the sects can defeat their access. It is because they 
know that they are but a collection of ecclesiastical stubble, which 
can not abide the fire which accompanies the Lord's army of defi- 
nite witnesses. Here we also see that the charge that insisting upon 
the definite experience of entire sanctification destroys the 
churches is true only so far as they are composed of "wood, hay, 
and stubble." Fire never destroys gold and silver. . . . 

In Joel we have the declaration: "The Lord also shall roar 
out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem [the holy 
church]; and the heavens and the earth shall shake" (3:16). 
A church that has no voice to shake sinners and professors, no 



208 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

voice that "turns the world upside down," that makes not the 
wicked flee, the devil howl, and persecution rage — that church 
may have "gods many," but has not the true God dwelling in her; 
for, following the foregoing the prophet says: "So shall ye know 
that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: 
then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass 
through her any more" (v. 17). The Lord wants his church so 
holy that no stranger to God will pass through her, much less 
dwell and carry on business irj her. . . . 

Let us now trace the heaven- and earth-shaking hosts of the 
Almighty in the prophet Isaiah. "Cry out and shout, thou in- 
habitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the 
midst of thee" (Isa. 12:6). Here is the power that does the 
shaking. A church that has the great and Holy One in her midst 
always produces a commotion in the world. . . . 

But who are required to do these things? Thus saith the Lord, 
"I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my 
mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my high- 
ness" (chap. 13:3). The sanctified soul rejoices only in the 
exaltation and glory of God; there is no principle left in the 
heart that seeks self-aggrandizement. They even glory in being 
abased, if God is thereby honored. Glory to his name! 

Now observe the effect of lifting high the banner of holi- 
ness: "The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a 
great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gath- 
ered together: the Lord of Hosts mustereth the host of the battle" 
(v. 4). A commotion soon follows the definite testimony and 
"lifting up of holy hands in the sanctuary" of the Lord: an 
army springs into existence; God himself mustereth the host. 
Halleluiah! 

"Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it- shall come 
as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands 
be faint, and every man's heart shall melt. . . . Behold, the 
day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with WTath and fierce anger, 
to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof 
out of it." (vs. 6, 7, 9). This conflagration from the Almighty 
sweeps, with a besom of destruction, all sinners from the land — 
out of the church. If, therefore, the holiness movement lays 
waste some churches in its course, it is simply because they are 
composed, in general, of sinners. This fact also proves that it is 
the very crisis we are here tracing in the Bible. It does not de- 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 209 

stroy true Christians nor spiritual churches; but, saith the Lord, 
"I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay 
low the haughtiness of the terrible" (v. 11). . . . 

SEPARATION OF THE WHEAT AND CHAFF 

The great war* for the extermination of sin out of the heart, 
or sinners out of the church is destined to sweep over all the 
nations of the earth. "The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of 
the earth were afraid, drew near, and came" (Isa. 41 :5). 

Thus saith the Lord: "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye 
men of Israel ; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, 
the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 41 : 14). When sin and self are all 
destroyed there is barely enough left of Jacob to constitute a small 
worm. But by thus reducing her to "naught/' God has pre- 
pared the church to exhibit his power in shaking the heavens 
and the earth and bringing "to naught the things that are" — the 
great things of the world. 

"Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing-instrument 
having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them 
small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, 
and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scat- 
ter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in 
the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 41 : 15, 16). The characteristic of 
God's church here portrayed is nearly lost sight of at present. 
People think it is the business of the church to stand like a beg- 
gar at the door of the devil's kingdom and politely coax his sub- 
jects over; saying much ahout the duty and advantage of belong- 
ing to church and little about their sin and the duty of repent- 
ance, as though God were dependent, and the devil proprietor of 
the universe. Satan, having thus stolen the spikes out of the 
church — her power of execution — has distinguished himself in 
helping to run the empty machinery. But he that sitteth in the 
heavens will arise and bring to naught Satan's devices. 

"The time is soon coming, by the prophets foretold, 
When Zion in purity the world shall behold; 
When Jesus' pure testimony will gain the day — 
Denomination selfishness vanish away." 

Already the Lord has begun to make Jacob new again; a sharp 
instrument, reset with the spikes of its primitive power, the 
"weapons of his indignation." 

A church or ministry that is destitute of these teeth will 
hurt no flesh, awake no persecution, thresh out no wheat, please 



2 1 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the devil, and give no glory to God. But spikes are not the only 
essential to a first-class thresher. Anciently grain was threshed 
with flails or trodden out by cattle and horses. Then a great 
improvement was secured by the invention of what is called the 
"old open machine." But, oh, the/ heaps of chaff that piled up, 
and filled the entire floor! Then came the dreadful task of 
cleaning up — of separating and removing the worthless heap. 

Such have been thd crafty open machines that have for years 
imposed heaps of trash upon the Lord's threshing-floor. They 
have not taken "forth the precious from the vile" (Jer 15:19). 
"Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy 
things: they have put no difference between the holy and pro- 
fane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean 
and the clean" (Ezek. 22:26). "Ye have wearied the Lord 
with your words . . . when ye say, Every one that doeth evil 
is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them" (Mai. 
2:17). 

Is not this perfectly fulfilled at present by preachers who in- 
vite sinners into their folds without requiring a particle of saving 
grace, and who even flatter them that they are already pretty good, 
and need but to come and join the church? And how many 
of their poor, deluded victims remain in the church for years 
and never hear the gospel preached straight enough to convict 
them of their unregenerated hearts! The policy of these teachers 
has been to "gather of all kinds," but the next thing in order — 
to separate and "cast the bad away" — has been wholly omitted. 
But as the Lord liveth, he is going to clear away this ecclesias- 
tical rubbish. 

"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his 
floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up 
the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12). Who would 
accept as a gift a few bushels of wheat scattered through a 
great heap of chaff and dirt? And think you that God will 
accept the church in her present condition? No, indeed; the 
gold must first be separated from the dross. The bride must 
dissolve her unholy friendship with the world, in which she is 
guilty of spiritual adultery in the sight of God (Jas. 4:4). She 
must put away all her rival gods, and adorn herself in robes of 
spotless white, before prepared as a bride for her husband. The 
Bible most assuredly teaches that God will separate the chaff 
from the wheat before he comes to garner home his church. To 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 211 

accomplish this he is converting Jacob from an open machine to 
a separator 

When the "rushing mighty wind" from heaven strikes the 
gathered heaps of stubble and chaff and begins to "scatter them," 
people think the church is being ruined; but this fan is in the 
hand of the Lord Jesus, and it will not carry a grain of wheat off 
his floor, and why fret about that which is not meet for the Mas- 
ter's use? "What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord." 
Let the wind from heaven drive it, and the fire consume it, "and 
thou [even in this scatterment] shalt rejoice in the Lord, and 
shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel." 

In the prophet Micah, chapter 4, and verses 1 , 2, we have the 
mountain of the house of the Lord (the church) established, and 
the law going "forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from 
Jerusalem." In the 10th verse we have recorded the captivity, 
or "falling away" of the church — "Thou shalt go even to Baby- 
lon." And, in; order to restore her purity, the Lord commands 
the following severe measures in verse thirteen: "Arise and 
thresh, daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and 
I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many 
people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and 
their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." 

Threshing and separating, purging and consuming is the order 
of God, in the day of the Refiner. Many think we must so temper 
the gospel as to preserve peace in the church, notwithstanding 
her sin and idols. But, "Suppose ye that I am come to give 
peace on earth [peace with sin]? I tell you, Nay; but rather 
division." So answers the Lord. His "fan is in his hand," and he 
would rather blow the church to atoms and secure a little clean 
wheat by itself than see it prosper in peace and multitudes and 
under mortgage to Satan, and bearing his brand mark, i. e., 
spots of sin. For this purpose, says Jesus, "I am come to send 
fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But 
I have a baptism to be baptized with ; and how am I straightened 
till it be accomplished!" (Luke 12:49, 50). Jesus intimates 
that the work of refining the church with the Holy Ghost fire 
could not begin until he himself had passed through the ordeal 
of suffering and death. 

"For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his 
chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his 
rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will 



212 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall 
be many" (Isa. 66: 15, 16). Here is the fire, sword, and division 
that Christ came to send on earth. Its shaking and purifying 
power was first manifest on the day of Pentecost. This light 
makes Israel see her condition and cry out, "My leanness, my 
leanness, woe unto me!" "Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the 
fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of 
the sea." "When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among 
the people, there shall be as a shaking of an olive-tree, and as 
the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done" (Isa. 24:15,13). 
"And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise 
of the fear shall fall into the pit" (v. 18). There is no escape 
from the sweeping fire of holiness but into the pit of sin; and 
all that can not "abide his coming" are "like chaff, which the 
wind driveth away." 

But nowhere in the Bible is the line more clearly drawn be- 
tween the wheat and the chaff", the gold and the dross, than in our 
key-note text to this entire subject. What shall remain after 
the "once more" shaking? Nothing but the divine elements of the 
"kingdom, which can not be moved," and which Paul represents 
as "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 
14:17). These only remain in the heart that has passed 
through the crisis. Halleluiah! But what is thereby removed? 
Answer: All "things that are shaken" and that "are made." By 
the first class we understand everything that flinches and shakes 
before the searching light and sin-exterminating gospel of Christ; 
every vein of our nature, every motion of "flesh and spirit," every 
temper of the mind and habit in life that does not perfectly 
harmonize with the "righteousness of God revealed" in the Bible, 
will naturally shake beneath the voice of the Holy One, and must, 
therefore, be removed. The second class — all "things that are 
made" — denotes every thing that is not original : even* phase of 
our moral being that is not implanted by the hand of God. Or, 
in other words, everything adhering to us that was produced by 
Satan, sin, or the perversion of our moral being. As the Lord says, 
"Every plant that my Father has not planted, shall be rooted 
up." This includes inbred sin. We have all along assumed the 
existence of this besetting foe. Yet we are aware that a very few 
deny the fact. But we think David settles this matter in the 51st 
Psalm, where he declares that, as fallen creatures, our very being 
is "conceived" and "shapen" in the mold of sin and iniquity. PauJ 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 213 

also avers that we are "by nature the children of wrath" (Eph. 
2:3) ; and that we are "cut out of the olive-tree [Adamic root] 
which is wild by nature" (Rom. 11:24). 

But why multiply texts? Observation must necessarily teach 
everybody that children are possessed with a perverse nature 
long before the knowledge of right and wrong is developed. 
Justified Christians almost uniformly confess this same inward 
trouble. The remaining question is, Can we get rid of it in this 
life? To decide this, we have but to ascertain whether it is 
original, or the result of the fall. That it formed no part of the 
likeness of God in the soul is very certain. It is therefore the 
"works of the devil," and just what Christ "came to destroy." 
It shakes, flashes out and roils up when pierced by the sword of 
the Lord, and must, therefore, be removed from the soul. 

But the words of Paul apply to the church, as well as to the 
individual. It is designed to assay and remove the dross of the 
whole body of Christ. Before the great holiness reform had shed 
its benign influence upon the Christian world, and to some 
extent raised the church out of the narrow rut of churchism 
into a deeper and broader loyalty to God and unselfish love for 
humanity, the idea of getting saved from "your church" would 
have been regarded as blasphemy. But, thanks to the Lord! 
a purer light and higher standard of truth now compel the 
trumpeters of God all along the line of holiness to insist on 
salvation from all "our churches." But it may be asked, What 
is it that we must be saved from in "our churches"? Surely there 
must be some way to discriminate between that which is per- 
nicious and that which is of God. Now, I know of no corner 
from which to run off this line but the one that Paul points out: 
"Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid," and, "This 
word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things 
that are shaken, as of things that are made." God has founded 
one body — one church, fold, or kingdom. In it he has placed 
every element that is essential to its work, its prosperity, and its 
perpetuity. His wisdom has adapted it to all ages of time and con- 
ditions of men. Its faith was delivered to the saints once for all. 
Its principles and precepts are the last testament, the final and 
immutable will of the eternal God. This divine organization is 
invested with such absolute symmetry and perfection that to at- 
tempt the slightest modification of its divine unity or polity is 
wicked presumption in the sight of its divine Founder, and incurs 



214 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the curses and forfeits all the blessings of God's Holy Book. Now, 
since the work of entire sanctification is designed to elevate the 
church to her normal and perfect condition in the sight of God, 
it must shake out and purge away every existing element that 
was not originally implanted by the hand of the Lord. This test, 
I think, is one in which all true Christians agree. Indeed, if we 
were to untie from this moorage we should soon be driven to sea 
without compass or chart ; we should virtually open the door for 
every tradition of Rome and invention of error. 

Starting, then, from this corner-stone of divine truth, estab- 
lished at Jerusalem nearly nineteen hundred years ago, and with 
the Bible as our compass and field notes, let us run off a line. 

1. Between the true and false spirits in the church — let us 
"try the spirits whether they are of God." "Now if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." But the party 
spirit, so prevalent in the churches, is not of Christ, hence must 
be removed, purged out of the heart. A zeal thatj springs from 
anything but pure, unmixed love for God and humanity, a spirit 
that would even promote holiness, or the conversion of sinners, 
partly to build up "our church," is badly mixed, is soon shaken 
and can not survive the Refiner's fire. It is only when the "eye is 
single" that the "whole body is full of light" — wholly sanctified. 

A spirit which, out of deference to its own creed, wilfully dis- 
obeys the divine word, is not of God, and can not coexist with a 
pure heart. All these secondary motives, these mixed and un- 
clean spirits, "shake" at the voice of the "mighty God," and are 
"removed" in the thorough work of entire sanctification. 

2. The next thing I am compelled in the fear of God to speak 
of, as included in the catalog of the devil's shaky works, the foul 
smut and chaff of err,or, is the evil of sectarianism. This is the 
most destructive bane that Qod has ever suffered the devil to sow 
in his kingdom. It is the very mildew of hell, that spreads its 
blasting curse over nearly all the precious fruit of the Lord's vine- 
yard. Here the words of Paul are an all-sweeping besom. 

Oft the enlightened Christian's conscience inquires whether it 
is right for the church to be divided thus into a plurality of sects 
or denominations, with their respective human creeds and party 
names. In the light of truth we are compelled to answer, No. 
And for the simple reason that these parties are not of divine 
origin. Christ is the source of all true union among his disciples, 
and all divisions between them and the world; while the devil 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 215 

is the instigation of divisions in the church, and of all union be- 
tween it and the world. 

I quote the following from an editorial in the Christian Harves- 
ter. 

"1. God has a church on earth. It is one and indivisible. It 
is made up of all and singular who are born of the Spirit. 

"2. Individual (local) churches, or congregations, are as Scrip- 
tural as they are necessary. 

"3. There is not one word in the Bible favorable to denomina- 
tions or sects. The only sect among Christians that is spoken of 
in terms — the Nicolaitan — is severely condemned. There are in- 
dications of sectish belief, against which John is supposed to labor 
in the first chapter of his Gospel, and Paul withstood in the Juda- 
izing tendencies, even in a brother apostle. Denominations are 
directly or indirectly the result ,of sin remaining in the great body 
of professors. Thorough and wide-spread holiness would soon 
destroy denominations. 

"4. But the evangelical denominations of today contain the 
mass ,of true Christians, with a multitude of mere professors. Be- 
cause of differences sects can not yet be abolished; and an ef- 
fort at abolition would result in a new one. Therefore sects are 
a present necessity, until holiness more generally prevails. 

"5. The possessor of perfect love of necessity overleaps de- 
nominations in spirit, and so regards all the sanctified as per- 
fectly his brethren." 

We are personally acquainted with the editor of the Harvester, 
and believe! him a holy man of God. We admire the frankness 
with which he acknowledges that "there is not one word in the 
Bible favorable to denominations or sects," and that "denomina- 
tions are directly or indirectly the result of sin remaining in the 
great body of professors." 

Such must be the honest verdict of every intelligent, God-fear- 
ing man. It is no pleasant thing, we know, to look upon and 
admit this monster evil, this fell destroyer of the purity, love, and 
power of the Lord's Zion. Says Wm. Starr, "My heart has 
groaned as, pen in hand, I have looked at this subject, arranged 
my thoughts to present them to you." But for the love of truth 
I am constrained to differ with the position that sects are a pres- 
ent necessity. They originated from sin in the church; and 
shall we admit that the fruit of sin is a necessity under any cir- 
cumstances? "Shall we do evil that good may come? God for- 



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A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 217 

"purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the 
groves" (2 Chron. 34:3)! Beware that we partake not of their 
sins. Of Azariah it is said that "he did that which was' right in 
the sight of the Lord . . . save that the high places were 
not removed. . . . And the Lord smote the king [Azariah] so 
that he was a leper unto the day of his death" (2 Kings 15:3-5). 

Says W. H. Starr (a conscientious Presbyterian minister) after 
quoting 1 Cor. 1:10-13 in his Discourses on Sectarianism: "It 
would seem as if no man could read these words of the great 
apostle without vividly seeing that party divisions among the peo- 
ple of Christ were, in his view, a most astounding evil. 'Is Christ 
divided,' he says, that ye who are all his, and who have been 
'baptized by one Spirit' should be sundered one from the other by 
party names? 

"And he adjures them in the most solemn manner, he beseech- 
es them by an appeal the most sacred that words could utter, even 
by the name of Christ, as it were for his sake, and for his bleed- 
ing cause, to forsake these pernicious ways, and to be perfectly 
joined together in the same mind." 

Hear what this author thinks of promoting holiness over these 
"high places," or sect walls. 

"The divisions of the Christian church, as they now exist, are 
a prominent cause of the low state of piety among believers; the 
greatest single obstacle which now exists to the spread and tri- 
umph of our religion in the world." "The moment you sepa- 
rate the church of Christ into distinct divisions, you set up the 
idol of party. Success or adversity will no longer affect the mind 
simply as they touch the cause of Christ, but they will be felt, 
also, as affecting 'our side' or 'our church.' It is not Christ and 
his cause to which their whole thoughts and desires are now 
turned; the idol of party has now been set up, and it claims, and 
receives, part of their regard. The man, I think, is almost more 
than human that can wholly avoid this influence, at least after 
he has been long identified with any branch of the church. It 
is an influence which is all the time at work. The idol has been 
set up to divide the heart from the blessed Savior and his holy 
service; and its influence is as ceaseless as the existence of the 
cause. And this party feeling is, as we have seen, the essence of 
all sin, so that sinful desire is blended continually in the heart 
with its love to Christ, and pollutes the worship which it offers 
him." 



218 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

This is an honest and faithful description of this monster evil. 

The party feeling is very sin. Yea. says this God-fearing man, 

"It casts a millstone round the neck :: :n:se wh; are struggling 
upwards to the image :: tne:: Redeemer. I: mmg.es poison with 
the streams of salvation that flow to the soul through the church, 

and casts a blight up:n its budding fruit." 

Again, "Sectarianism is the greatest foe :: the exhibition of 
love which God has ever suffered Satan to beget. I: hinders 
brotherly love among Christians, and regard for the souls of men. 
It is vain for brethren in Christ to talk about the duty of loving 
one another, and to try to feel love for one another, whi.e they 
refuse to act as love dictates [by separating into parties]. Fheir 
actions will control their hearts, as men's acts a. ways do in the 
end. The fences which they set up between them in fact will 
become fences in feeling. And that is now even so, every Chris- 
tian knows. . . . The divisions c: Christ's people beget and 
stimulate continually that opposite spirit of rivalry and conten- 
tion, which is the spirit of the world. . . . \e$, I charge all 
this mischief, the existence of which you all know, upon the 
sectarian divisions of the people of Christ: and let him deny it 
who can. It is in fact their legitimate fruit." 

The division of the church into parties not only destroys the 
power and holiness thereof, but is tne greatest impediment tt the 
conversion of the world to God. Again we will hear Brother 
Starr, and the blessed Redeemer himself. "Would that the church 
of Christ might pause long enough from its sectarian strife to hear 
the voice of its Redeemer and Lord pleading with Goci in prayer 
on that sorrowful night ere the traitor came — 'Holy Father, keep 
through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that 
they may be one, as we are. . . . Neither pray I for these 
alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their 
word; that they ail may be one; as thou. Father, art in me, and 
I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may 
believe that thou hast sent me.' The prayers of Christ were not 
offered for a light matter, least of all that memorable pe- 
tition which the pen of inspiration has recorded for tne church in 
all ages to wonder and weep over, the prayer of its dying Lord 
The desirableness of that visible union, of his people for which 
Christ prayed as the means of impressing his truth en the world, 
and the evils of those divisions against which tne apostle so earn- 
estly exhorts, need to be better understood bv the church. . . . 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 219 

May God grant you a disposition to look the evil fairly in the 
face." 

Oh, the thousands of souls that are being lost to all eternity 
through the selfish, wicked, and carnal spirit of our churchism! 
God is dishonored, yea, robbed of the purchase of his Son's 
death, and infidelity stalks abroad; the result of a divided house. 

It is said that "the possessor of perfect love of necessity over- 
leaps denominations in spirit." Does not this love prove that they 
are in the way of the Spirit of Christ? And shall we compel the 
Lord to drag his children together over these cursed walls, only 
to have walls rise up again, and grieve away the Holy Spirit? 

If it be true that "thorough holiness destroys denominations," 
then it follows that where they yet exist this genuine degree of 
holiness has not been attained by the people. But I have not 
quoted correctly: it is "thorough and wide-spread holiness." Ah! 
here is the sticking-point — a condition put in by the enemy of souls. 
It implies the following: "Though entire sanctification removes 
all sectarianism out of my heart, I will still adhere to my sect un- 
til people generally abandon their schismatic parties and creeds." 
The devil is perfectly easy over these principles. Now, if this 
evil is to be done away by popular sentiment, then it is not 
through holiness; but if by the latter it does not depend upon 
any foreign influence. The condition of the church in one State 
does not rob the Word and Spirit of God of their virtue in an- 
other. The power of holiness to destroy denominations in one 
community does not depend in the least upon another. Judah 
can burn down his groves and destroy his idols, whether Samaria 
and Ephraim do it or not. Therefore, we repeat, where the pro- 
fessed followers of Christ are divided into a plurality of sects, 
they have not yet become thoroughly sanctified to God. 

Can it be said of professors of holiness that they have "one 
heart" and "one mind," while some have a mind to be Presby- 
terian, others Baptists, others United Brethren, and others have 
a mind to adhere to the several different sects of Methodism? 
Have they "one heart and one way" when they rise from the sol- 
emn altar in the holiness meeting and go, each one in his own 
way, to the synagog of; his own sect? 

Now, I must confess that I can not see the necessity of this, 
unless it be to please the devil, break the unity of the Spirit and 
grieve away the heavenly Dove, bring to naught the divided 



220 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

house of the Lord, and destroy the work of holiness as fast as it 
can be built up; to this end alone it is necessary. 

But let us come still closer home. I would lay* the responsi- 
bility of this enormous evil just where God places it and all 
other sin. We shall not be judged by sects, States, nor even by 
neighborhoods and towns, but "every one of us shall give ac- 
count of himself to God." 

A revival of holiness in a community is the result of personal 
consecration and faith ; and its relapse will be in proportion to the 
number of individuals that remove the sacrifice from the sancti- 
fying altar. There is no such thing as thorough holiness, except 
as wrought by the Sanctifier in individual hearts; and if, as has 
been said, and as I verily believe, thorough and widespread holi- 
ness destroys denominations — burns up sectarian distinctions — 
it must do it in your heart as an individual. And if this work is 
done, the fruits must exhibit the fact; you will be 'saved by the 
precious blood; of Christ from all vain conversation, received by 
tradition from your fathers'; such as "Your church," "Our 
church," "Our preacher opened the doors of the church," "What 
branch of the church do you belong to?" "You ought to join 
some branch," "and if there be any other thing that is contrary 
to sound doctrine" — that grew out of a "perversion of the right 
ways of the Lord" and the gospel of Christ (Acts 13:10; Gal. 
1:7). If the bitter root of sectism is entirely destroyed out of your 
heart, you will ignore all sectional lines and party fences, the 
dreadful curse of which Brother Starr has so honestly pointed 
out. If you are a true, intelligent Bible Christian, a holy, God- 
fearing man, you must cast off every human yoke, withdraw fel- 
lowship from and renounce every schismatic and humanly con- 
stituted party in the professed body of Christ. Instead of be- 
longing to f some branch you will simply belong to Christ and be 
a branch yourself in him, the true vine. Instead of remaining 
identified with any sect, i. e., cut-off party, "directly or indirectly 
the result of sin," you will claim membership in and fellowship 
with the "one and indivisible church that God has on earth, and 
that is made up of all and singular who are born, of the Spirit." 
On this broad and divinely-established platform, and here only, 
can you stand clear of the sin of sectarianism and the blood of 
immortal souls that perish through its pernicious influence. Are 
you strictly loyal to God while you persist in adhering to a sect, 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 221 

notwithstanding he says "there should be no schism [sects] in 
the body" (1 Cor. 12:25)? 

1 am not advocating the no-church theory that we hear of in 
the West, but the one, holy church of the Bible, not bound to- 
gether by rigid articles of faith, but perfectly united in love under 
the primitive glory of the Sanctifier, "continuing stedfastly in 
the apostle's doctrine and fellowship," and taking captive the 
world for Jesus. 

But it is thought that we should not fight against sects nor 
attempt to abolish the evil at present, lest we thereby form an- 
other sect. This is virtually saying we should go on sinning, 
"lest a worse thing come upon us!" 

An attempt to rally Israel under any of the many party names 
and creeds might indeed result in a new sect. But this is not 
what we contend for. Nay, but let us rather burn to ashes these 
high places of Israel's corruption, and, returning to Jerusalem, 
let us build "upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." Let us aban- 
don the nonsense of ecclesiastical succession ; cease to inflate our 
pride and vanity by parading the good and long-since departed, 
who innocently wore our party badges — the piety of pur fathers 
will not atone for the worldliness of the church at present. Let 
us also quit flourishing our church creeds as though their excel- 
lency 1 were an essential supplement to the wisdom of inspiration. 
Let us, we pray you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the sake 
of our holy and divine religion and a world that is lost in sin — 
oh, let us put away these childish things, and return to Jerusalem, 
not to form a new sect, but as the 'servants of the God of heaven 
and earth let us build the house that was builded these many 
years ago, which a great King of Israel [Jesus Christ] builded 
and set up' (see Ezra 5:11). 

Many say we need more union of hearts, but think a visible 
organic union unnecessary; but remember that it was a visible 
union that Jesus prayed for, such as the world could see and be 
thereby convinced and saved. We quote once more from W. H. 
Starr. 

"They will say to me : Can not we have union of feeling with- 
out external union [that is, with external disunion] ? I answer 
No, you can not, except in rare instances, and in an imperfect 
degree. It is vain to be beating off the leaves of the tree while 
you continually nourish its roots. And sectarianism is the! "root 



222 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

of bitterness/' whose acrid and legitimate fruit of divided hearts, 
and jealousy, and strife, doth continually grieve away the Spirit 
of our God and Savior, and leave our churches in a comparative 
poverty of grace and growth that methinks must make the very 
heavens groan with sorrow as they look down upon our dying 
world. Up, up! my brother, my sister in Christ, inquire of the 
Lord concerning this thing! Why slumber ye here while Satan 
has entered the fold of Christ, a wolf in sheep's clothing, and is 
rending the flock > Oh, cry to God that he will direct you and all 
the children of his grace, till the church of his holy Son shall be 
purified and saved. Alas! it is now 'a house divided against 
itself.' Oh, pray that the Lord would unite and build it up in 
the truth; and that he would show you your duty in the matter. 
The wants of the world require a holy and united Church." 

From what has been said, and the uniform teaching of the 
Bible, the following facts are very evident: 

1 . The division of the church into sects is one of Satan's most 
effectual, if not the very greatest, means of destroying human 
souls. 

2. Its enormous sin must be answered for by individual adher- 
ents to, and supporters of, sects. 

3. The only remedy for this dreadful plague is thorough sanc- 
tification, and this is wrought only by a personal, individual con- 
tact with the blood of Christ through faith. 

4. The union required by the Word of God is both a spiritual 
and visible union. 

5. The divisions of the church are caused by elements that are 
foreign to it as a divinely constituted body, by deposits of the 
enemy, which exist in the hearts and practises of individual mem- 
bers, involving their responsibility and requiring their personal 
purgation. 

These facts make your duty plain. What you and I want, dear 
reader, is "thorough and wide-spread holiness" in our individual 
souls to destroy denominationalism there. Holiness, ever so thor- 
ough and wide-spread around you, will not cleanse your heart; 
neither can the sin of division in the hearts and lives of others 
attach to you, unless you drink in their spirit and also become a 
partisan. You need not waste time in planning general union 
movements, or praying the Lord to restore the unity of his church, 
until you go down under the blood and have every bone of con- 
tention and cause of division purged out of your own heart ; then 



A SPIRITUAL SHAKING 223 

you may do something to influence others to do the same. 

You are praying and longing for the happy time when God's 
children shall all be one, but are you willing that the "once 
more" shaking shall have its designed effect in your awn case? 
Do you, indeed, suffer the Holy Ghost fire to consume out 
of your own life, heart, religion, and conversation, all the shaky 
chaff and stubble the devil has made to divide the children of 
God? Do you, indeed, withdraw from and 1 ignore all churches, 
so called, but the one Christ purchased "with his own blood" and 
founded nearly nineteen hundred years ago, and to which the 
"Lord added" you by regeneration (Acts 2:47)? Do you dis- 
card every church title but that "which the mouth of the Lord 
hath named" (Isa. 62:2), even the name of the Father, in which 
Christ and the apostles kept the church (John 17:6, 11, 12; 
Acts. 20:28; 1 Cor. 1 :2; 1 Tim. 3:15)? Do you honor the di- 
vine head of the church by rejecting every creed but the one that 
"is given by inspiration of God;" every door that is opened and 
shut by men; and every spirit but the Sanctifier; and every mo- 
tive but the love of God and humanity? If you, by the grace of 
God, die to all these prime causes of sectism and their concomi- 
tant sins, then, and not until then, will the Lord have "thoroughly 
purged" so much of "his threshing floor" as you will have to an- 
swer for in the day of judgment. Where this is not accom- 
plished, the grace of God is frustrated; holiness is not permitted 
to reach the Bible standard of thoroughness, nor spread its heal- 
ing virtue to every part of the soul. 

It may look foolish to many thus to blow the trumpet of the 
Lord around the high and massy walls of sectarian glory and sel- 
fishness, but the power of God with the faith and shouts of the 
"holy people" will surely bring them down. Though the heaps 
of sectarian chaff have reached the magnitude of mountains, God 
has some wheat scattered through them, and he will have it sepa- 
rated for his garner. Therefore he says to Jacob, Tear not . . . 
thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and thou 
shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the 
wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them." 

The pure elements of God's church possess a wonderful inher- 
ent attraction and cohesion; but the devil neutralizes the divine 
cement by mixing in his chaffy and sloughy trash, thereby effect- 
ing divisions; therefore, the Lord restores union by the "removing 
of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made" by 



224 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the enemy, thus removing discord and schism. Glory to God! 
Little Jacob has barely commenced threshing and separating. 
Soon we shall see clouds of chaff driven by the "mighty rushing 
wind from heaven." 

Says Bro. I. Reed, in his paper, The Highway: "The great 
holiness movement is shaking harder than ever. It is to be a real 
moral earthquake yet. We have nothing to fear in that direction. 
We have allied ourselves to the Power that does the shaking, and 
feel a kind of holy joy at the falling walls, reeling Babels and 
ecclesiastical fortifications that can not stand the grand holiness 
shock. In anticipation we enjoy the grand smash-up of things 
semi-religious — this half and half, linsey-woolsey type of "Good 
God, Dear Mammon,' kind of fashionable moral froth, too often 
called 'religion' — that is coming some of these days. It is coming. 
We; hear the tread of the mighty army." 

Amen. Let the conflict come. God will have a pure church. 
He will shake the chaffy works of the devil put of his kingdom, 
though all hell be moved in rage; though Gog and Magog sur- 
round the camp of the saints on the breadth of the whole earth. 

Dear reader, I am aware that I have here written things that 
will be unwelcome to many, truths that will assail and^stir up 
many prejudices ; but in doing so I have determined to cast from 
me the fear of man, and clear my conscience in the sight of God. 

It is, indeed, my honest conviction that the great holiness re- 
form can not go forward with the sweeping power and perma- 
nent triumph that God designs it should until the gospel be so 
preached and consecration become so thorough that the blood 
of Christ may reach and wash away every vestige of denomina- 
tional' distinction, and "perfect into one" — yea, one indeed and 
in truth — all the sanctified. 

I am aware that this will elicit storms of persecution, but in the 
name of the Lord it must come. God will be glorified in the es- 
cape of his holy children from all human enclosures into the 
"one" and identical "fold of Jesus Christ." Oh! let us be hon- 
est before God in this matter. 



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XIII 

A PROPHETIC TIME 

That many events of the world are foreshadowed in 
the prophecies of the Bible is something which perhaps 
the average reader does not pause much to reflect upon. 
He rather inclines to regard the prophecies as a difficult 
portion of the Sacred Writings, and in consequence of 
their being passed by, ignorance generally prevails con- 
cerning them. There is nothing inconsistent in the idea 
that events in the world occur in accordance with prophet- 
ic utterance. It does not necessarily give credence to the 
doctrine of fatalism— that everything which happens 
must happen. The affairs in man's life are largely sub- 
ject to his control. He has a scope of freedom all his 
own. He can make his own choices and govern his own 
career. He may do an act or he may not do it. An acci- 
dent occurs which may have been avoided had more care 
been exercised. Nevertheless, from this free volitionary 
scope which belongs to man we may not exclude God's 
design; for he does exercise a controlling hand in the af- 
fairs of man. 

It may be said, however, of the greater things that oc- 
cur in the world, the trend of public thought, the drift of 
conditions, the great political upheavals, things which are 
rather beyond man's individual control, and which in- 
volve mankind as a body and their destiny as a race — 
these more particularly belong to God and are made the 
subject of prophetic forecast. God did not create the 
world and then abandon its processes. He created all 
things according to design, and we may be assured that 
he has design in the progress of things as well as in their 
first creation. Nor will the grand play of the world's 
events reach its conclusion without the decree of him 



228 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

whose prerogative it is to say, "It is enough; time shall no 
longer be." 

Christ's coming into the world was freely prophesied 
hundreds of years in advance of that event. This is so 
plain that no student of the Bible, unless he means pur- 
posely to be infidelic, will dispute the fact. Likewise, the 
fulfilment of prophecies that went before concerning the 
Jews and their city Jerusalem is much in evidence. 

The events of the world naturally group themselves 
into periods, or epochs. They are like panoramic scenes 
that unfold in the theater of the universe. Thus we have 
the two dispensations separated by the incarnation of 
Christ, the grandest event in all history. And thus we have, 
as divisions of the latter dispensation, the event of pagan- 
ism giving place to the papacy and ushering in a dark day 
of apostasy, known in history as the Dark Ages ; and the 
Renaissance and the Reformation of the sixteenth cen- 
tury, ushering in a period of Protestantism, which is also 
an age of letters and invention. 

In the interests of his church and the progress of his 
truth God has shown in advance in prophetic vision the 
periods and epochal events covering not only the Chris- 
tian dispensation, but also a considerable time previous to 
it. These are for the Bible-student, the minister of God, 
and for all Christians, to know and understand. 

There is a prophecy in the 7th chapter of Daniel fore- 
shadowing the four successive world empires — the Baby- 
lonian, Medo Persian, Grecian, and Roman — and the 
papal power, that grew out of the Roman. The book of 
Revelation is but a series of panoramic displays of the 
events of the entire Christian dispensation and the end of 
the world. 

And so we may expect that, inasmuch as the prophecies 
served primarily the interests of the church, or the New 



A PROPHETIC TIME 229 

Testament kingdom, any marked advance for the church, 
such as the deliverance of the saints from spiritual Baby- 
Ion, should have its foregleam in the utterance of the 
seer. In our preceding chapter, Brother Warner has al- 
ready given quotations from the prophets relating to bring- 
ing out a pure church through the preaching of holiness. 
We wish to show by several other lines of prophecy that 
this state of the church, as being free from the bondage of 
human ecclesiasticism and enjoying her primitive glory, 
marks a distinct prophetic time or period in this evening of 
the dispensation. 

Referring again to the 7th chapter of Daniel, where 
four successive world kingdoms are represented by the 
four beasts, we note that special attention is given to the 
description of the fourth beast, which is the Roman 
power in its pagan phase. It was a beast "dreadful and 
terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron 
teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the 
residue with the feet of it : and it was diverse from all the 
beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I con- 
sidered the horns, and, behold, there came up among 
them another little horn, before whom there were three 
of the first horns plucked up by the roots : and, behold, in 
this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth 
speaking great things" (vs. 7, 8). 

Daniel wished to know the truth respecting the little 
horn that had eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth 
speaking great things. He beheld that the "same horn 
made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 
until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given 
to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that 
the saints possessed the kingdom'* (vs. 21, 22). Now this 
horn that came up from among the other ten horns was 
nothing other than the elements of Roman Catholicism, 



230 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

developing into popery. It was the "man of sin," the pro- 
duct of the substitution of man rule for the Holy Spirit rule, 
the date for which change historians have fixed at about 
the year 270 A. D. This horn was to "speak great words 
against the Most High," and to "wear out the saints of 
the Most High, and think to change times and laws : and 
they shall be given into his hand until a time and times 
and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and 
they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to de- 
stroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, 
and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, 
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, 
whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all domin- 
ions shall serve and obey him" (vs. 25-27). 

The "time and times and the dividing of time," mark- 
ing the period during which the elements of the papacy 
should have full sway and should wear out the saints of 
the Most High, etc., are interpreted as three and one half 
years ; a time in prophetic reckoning being one year, times 
two years, and the dividing of time one half year. Three 
and one half years would be forty-two months, or, if re- 
duced to days according to the Jewish reckoning of thirty 
days to the month, twelve hundred and sixty days. Tak- 
ing each day for a year, which is proper prophetic count- 
ing, we have twelve hundred and sixty years, and this 
added to the year 270 brings us to the year 1530, the 
date of the beginning of organized Protestantism, and the 
end of the universal sway of the papacy. Following this, 
"the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his do- 
minion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end" (v. 
26). Since her universal spiritual supremacy ended, the 
judgment against Roman Catholicism has gradually pro- 
ceeded and her political power has waned. "And the 
time came when the saints possessed the kingdom" (v. 



A PROPHETIC TIME 231 

22). The saints' possessing the kingdom is the culminat- 
ing point in this line of prophecy, and means nothing other 
than the victory over human ecclesiasticism which the 
saints now possess. 

In the 1 1 th chapter of Revelation we have the wearing 
out of the saints expressed as treading under foot the holy 
city, and the time-period of "a time and times and the 
dividing of time*' expressed as forty-two months (v. 2). 
In v. 3 the same time-period is expressed as twelve hun- 
dred and sixty days. During this time the two witnesses 
— the Word and the Spirit — prophesy in sackcloth, which 
represents the low estate to which they were relegated dur- 
ing the dark age of popery. It will be remembered that 
the twelve hundred and sixty days (years) end with the 
year 1530. Following this comes three days and a half 
(three centuries and a half) of Protestantism during 
which the two witnesses (Word and Spirit) are, in the 
governmental sense, operatively dead, the organized sys- 
tems of man rule having usurped the place of divine gov- 
ernment and authority which these witnesses originally 
held. At the end of the three days and a half, three hun- 
dred and fifty years (which, added to 1 530, brings us to 
the year 1880) "the Spirit of life from God entered into 
them, and they stood upon their feet" (v. 11). They 
ascended to their place in the ecclesiastical heaven, to the 
true church, and were thus victorious. This brings us to 
the present reformation. This is soon followed by the 
sounding of the seventh angel, which represents the end 
of time when the 'kingdoms of this world shall become 
the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; and he shall 
reign forever and ever' (v. 15). The curtain drops. 

Another scene is presented in the 1 3th chapter, where 
the rise of the papacy, or Roman Catholic power, is repre- 
sented by a leopard beast having the same "mouth speak- 



232 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

ing great things" that appeared in the "little horn" of 
Daniel seven. "And power was given unto him to con- 
tinue forty and two months" (v. 5), which is the same 
time-period, again, of twelve hundred and sixty years. 
Following this the period of Protestantism is represented 
by a beast "coming up out of the earth; and he had two 
horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon" (v. 11). 
The length of the time-period of this second beast is here 
omitted, but the sphere of its activity is succeeded (in 
chap. 14) by a victorious church, the fall of Babylon, and 
the present reformation work in which the everlasting gos- 
pel, the gospel that really saves, is once more preached 
"unto them that dwell on the earth." In connection with 
this also is the judgment which Daniel says is "given to 
the saints of the Most High;" that is, the judgment 
against the false religions of spiritual Babylon. 

In the 1 8th chapter, in connection with Babylon's fall, 
we have God's people called out of her. "And I heard 
another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my 
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye 
receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached 
unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto 
her double according to her works: in the cup which she 
hath filled fill to her double" (vs. 4-6) . Thus the time 
is come that 'judgment is given to the saints' and the 'saints 
possess the kingdom.' 

Spiritual Babylon represents Rome first, and Protes- 
tantism second. In the Critical Commentary by Jamie- 
son, Fausset, and Brown, in the comments on Rev. 18:4, 
we have the following quoted from Hahn in Auberlen: 
"The harlot is not Rome alone (though she is preeminent- 
ly so) , but every Church that has not Christ's mind and 
spirit. False Christendom, divided into very many sects, 



A PROPHETIC TIME 233 

is truly Babylon, i. e., confusion." The literal Babylon 
was an ancient city situated on the Euphrates River. In 
it God's people Israel were held captive for seventy years, 
or until liberated by the Persian king Cyrus. This is 
used as a figure of the captivity of God's spiritual Israel 
in spiritual Babylon. The word Babylon means confu- 
sion, and it is fittingly applied to the confused religion as 
represented by the whole picture of Roman Cathol- 
icism and the. Protestant sects. 

In the 34th chapter of Ezekiel the gathering of God's 
people and their deliverance from false relations is repre- 
sented by a shepherd seeking out his flock and delivering 
them. "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that 
he is among his sheep that are scattered ; so will I seek out 
my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where 
they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather 
them from the countries, and will bring them to their own 
land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the 
rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I 
will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high 
mountains of Israel shall their fold be : there shall they lie 
in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon 
the mountains of Israel" (vs. 12-14). 

The cloudy and dark day of Protestantism, when the 
light of truth shines, not in its entire brightness, nor yet 
as entirely obscured, is also referred to in the 14th chap- 
ter of Zechariah. "And it shall come to pass in that day, 
that the light shall not be clear, nor dark : but it shall be 
one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor 
night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it 
shall be light" (vs. 6, 7). Thank God, the day of mingled 
light is past, and we are in the full light of the evening, 
when the whole truth is once more preached in its full- 
ness, without hypocrisy and without reserve. 



234 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Thus we see that the present movement among God's 
people toward holiness and unity, out of denominational- 
ism, is prophetically represented as a new epoch for the 
church. 



Louder, Louder. 



D. S. Warner. 



Allie R. 




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XIV 

THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 

After the Board of Publication of the Northern Ind- 
iana Eldership had passed the resolution in November, 
1880, that they were willing to consolidate the Herald 
of Gospel Freedom with any other paper that advocated 
the same gospel principles, a consolidation was effected 
with a small paper called The Pilgrim, published in In- 
dianapolis, by G. Haines. The Pilgrim was a monthly and 
had been issued but about eight times. The Herald 
equipment, it should be remarked, had been donated to 
Brothers Warner and Haines by the Churches of God in 
Indiana for the new paper.* The decision to effect this 
consolidation was made in a joint meeting of the Board 
of Publication and the Standing Committee held in Yel- 
low Lake Bethel, Kosciusko County, Ind., Dec. 23, 
1880. In an old memorandum tablet of Brother War- 
ner's is recorded what is apparently a report of this meet- 
ing, in his own handwriting. One paragraph, which 
reads as follows, is of special interest : 

"On motion it was agreed to consolidate the Herald 
of Gospel Freedom with the Pilgrim, at Indianapolis, 
Ind., and call the new the Gospel Trumpet." 

Though he modestly does not say so, it was Brother 

*It seems the idea prevailed within the Eldership that " every 
member should be under the control of Christ alone in the per- 
formance of work appointed him." They said, "We believe that 
the Lord wishes not his church burthened and perplexed with 
financial cares. Therefore, Resolved That it is not good that she 
should own and control a printing-office." They said further, "We 
are willing to assist and support these two brethren in the joint 
publication of the Gospel Trumpet provided they are permitted 
to have full control of the same and so. long as they keep them- 
selves and the paper wholly in the Lord 's hands and to his glory. ' ' 

They, of course, did not understand that by means of a corpora- 
tion, board of trustees, or other legalized body, the church could 
control its printing business and yet not be "burthened and per- 
plexed with financial cares." 



238 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Warner himself who suggested the name Gospel Trum- 
pet. He felt impressed that the new paper should be 
called by that name, the idea being associated with such 
scriptures as the following: 

"The great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall 
come . . . and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount" 
(from Isa. 27:13). "The Lord God shall blow the 
trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds" (from Zech. 9: 
14). 

A scripture containing the word "trumpet" always ap- 
peared in the heading of the paper. After a few years 
the heading contained the design of a flying angel blow- 
ing a trumpet from which was suspended a scroll con- 
taining this inscription, taken from Zech. 5 :2-4: "He said 
unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a 
flying roll. . . Then said he unto me. . . Every one that 
stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; 
and everyone that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side 
according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of 
hosts." 

At a later date the design was changed, the angel was 
reversed, and the following was substituted as an inscrip- 
tion on the scroll: "All ye inhabitants of the world, and 
dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an en- 
sign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, 
hear ye" (Isa. 18:3). For many years the heading de- 
sign contained one or more angels blowing the trumpet. 

Brother Warner was a man wonderfully anointed of 
God for a special work. Since he had received the experi- 
ence of sanctification, in 1877, the Lord had been gradu- 
ally revealing to him that the true and divinely intended 
state of the people of God was not that of being scattered 
in a multiplicity of sectarian divisions but of being perfect- 
ly one in Christ, not only in spirit, but in name and in 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 239 

visible aspect. He felt that the teaching of genuine holi- 
ness would, in connection with the light of the prophecies 
bearing on the subject, bring the church out into her pure, 
undivided state. For such a reformation he was indeed 
a chosen instrument of the Lord. It was God's truth he 
was preaching. It led, of course, to a crisis in which he 
received much persecution and was deserted by many. 
The Trumpet, he realized, was a very effectual instru- 
ment God had placed in his hands for accomplishing the 
great reformation-work in this evening time of the Chris- 
tian era. The time was ripe. True saints of God in var- 
ious places, in whom was the Spirit of the Lord, were de- 
siring and anticipating a oneness for God's people, and 
when the Trumpet appeared it was just what they were 
wanting. The fact that it was considered insignificant 
and ignored in popular religious circles proved its mission 
none the less divine. God's work is frequently accom- 
plished by insignificant instruments. The Trumpet shared 
Brother Warner's difficulties and deprivations. The des- 
cription of these in the spiritual phase will be reserved for 
the next chapter. What we shall note here are some of 
the mere facts of its history. 

The oldest copy of the Gospel Trumpet now in the 
files of the Publishing Office is of the issue of March 1, 
1881 . The paper began with January 1 of that year, at 
Rome City, Ind. Two issues were printed there, then the 
equipment was moved to Indianapolis. The removal oc- 
casioned some delay, so that there was no paper printed 
during the month of February. The new location was 
over N. 70 North Illinois St. The paper started as a 
semimonthly, at a subscription price of seventy-five cents 
a year. Agents were allowed a commission of fifteen 
cents on each subscription in clubs of five or upwards. 
Its object was stated as being, "The glory of God in the 



The Gospel Trumpet. 


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Fascimile of a copy of the Gospel Trumpet dated Mar. 1, 1881, the 
oldest in the Company's files. A paragraph from Brother Warner's notes. 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 241 

salvation of men from all sin, and the union of all saints 
upon the Bible." It was a four-page, five-column paper 
of about 1 3 by 19 inches in size. It at first contained con- 
siderable matter on prohibition ; but the thing that brought 
it persecution and isolated it from the fellowship and sym- 
pathy of nominal professors was its teaching against sec- 
tarian divisions. 

Financial privation was one of the handicaps that had 
to be contended with from the start. On the moving of the 
equipment to Indianapolis, new type to the amount of 
$147 had to be purchased. At this time also a new 
Prouty power-press costing $590 was contemplated, the 
old press being a Washington hand-press. It was some 
years, however, until a power-press was installed. In the 
issue of May 15, 1881, appears the following editorial: 

We are experiencing that it takes a man wonderfully burned 
out for God to publish a paper that is simply true to Jesus and 
up to the Bible standard of salvation from all sin. A thousand 
points of expediency and policy must be disregarded, and the 
eye fixed on God alone. reader, you that; love God and the 
truth, do not forget to pray for us. We are here in the city 
with a family to support, and publishing expenses to meet, and 
many are withdrawing from us because we will not sanction 
their idols; but God is always present, and we fear no evil. 
Thus far, since the paper is all on God's altar, he has supplied 
our needs. Glory to his name! 

Another difficulty that had to be contended with al- 
most from the start was the unfaithfulness of some of those 
associated with him. He was scarcely settled in Indian- 
apolis when the partnership with Haines had to be dis- 
solved, and the latter then started an opposition paper. 
The following editorial from the June 1 number will ex- 
plain: 

THE OPPOSITION PAPER 

No person that has the real cause of God at heart can fail 
to deplore the fact that in this city two papers are now being 



242 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

published, both claiming to be holiness papers, having of course 
conflicting interests. 

That this state of affairs must weaken and wound this sacred 
cause, and hedge up its way by destroying the confidence of 
the people in the great truth of holiness, is very apparent to all 
thinking minds. This being true, fearful responsibilities rest some- 
where, and the people have a right to know where. 

It is a painful task to refer to the reproach that is brought 
upon the pure cause of holiness ; but it is largely known, and can 
be remedied only by a statement of the causes and terms of the 
dissolution of the Trumpet firm. Two papers in the same place 
with rival interests can not both be of God — there is no use 
trying to smuggle the fact. 

The blame must be located, and though its location exposes 
personal character, it must be done. Paul wrote even with tears 
of some whom he pronounced enemies of the cross of Christ. 
Alas, how often the blessed Son of God is sacrificed at the shrine 
of selfishness, and sold for a few pieces of money! 

The office having been donated by the Church of God in 
northern Indiana, for the use of the Trumpet, we entered into 
a consolidation and partnership, agreeing that "each should do 
one half of the labor, pay one half of the expenses, and receive 
one half of the income." 

We went to work in good earnest, published two papers at 
Rome City, and then shipped the office to this city. 

But before it arrived we found ourself bound to a chilling 
iceberg, an austere, worldly, complaining, and mere money policy. 
Though rather incongenial to our feelings, we thought it probably 
all for the better and were willing to go ahead; but ere long 
the Spirit of God clearly indicated to us that we should not 
work with this man. We gave the matter all into the hands of 
God, and told the Lord that if he wished a dissolution, he should 
bring it about in his own time and his own way. 

We had made no note of labors at Rome City, but thought when 
we set up here we should be under the necessity of doing so; but 
wishing to avoid every shadow of blame for the separation that 
we knew was coming, we continued to waive our right in the 
agreement, and went on working for the Lord, while partner 
gave his time to the Cincinnati Times-Star, with the exception 
of an occasional call of a few minutes at the office. 

It pleased God to withhold a competent income from the 
paper. This soon wrought a divine purpose, and partner pro- 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 243 

posed to dissolve — offered to give or take one hundred dollars, 
and the party taking the office pay all the debts on the firm. 
Having the will of God clearly revealed to us, we could not, 
without disloyalty to God and infidelity to the brethren who 
donated the office, abandon it. We also had one hundred and 
seventy dollars in the office that partner did not, having released 
notes to that amount against those churches when they kindly 
donated the office. 

We remarked, however, that as the office had been given for 
the use of the Trumpet, it was not right that, withdrawing from 
the paper, he should ask that amount of money. But the an- 
swer was that the Pilgrim field which had been merged into the 
Trumpet was worth that to him. We therefore consented to pay 
the one hundred dollars to satisfy him for the field. But when 
we remarked that he of course would feel himself under obli- 
gations not to start another paper here, both because of the 
amount received for the field, and for shame's sake, as it could 
cvnly expose the cause to reproach, we were surprized that he 
would not make a fair promise. We insisted upon it as our right, 
and he remarked finally that he did not think he would start 
another. Just then the Spirit said, "Trust it in the hands of the 
Lord, God will himself manage the matter." From that time we 
said no more about it. . . . 

We feel that our skirts are clear from the harm that holiness 
must suffer from this bad example to the world. And if God can 
bless the little opposition sheet (for such is the spirit of its first 
issue) we shall be thankful. 

Bless the Lord! We have nothing to fear, because we have 
nothing to lose. The Trumpet is indeed all burned up for God; 
but out of its ashes shall continue to rise honest, holy, God- 
fearing pilgrims, instead of "happy pilgrims" who rejoice in un- 
righteous gain. God is now on trial. He is our only resource. 
On the other hand, a crafty policy slyly gets up a little paper, 
changes the association meeting from home to Terre Haute, pre- 
sents it to the congregation, gets four votes in its favor, then 
himself pronounces it adopted; is elated that he was "sharp" 
enough to get the one hundred dollars and the field also, and 
now boasts that he will take away the Trumpet subscribers. 
Lord, pity and save such a one for Christ's sake! 

Just now we feel a deeper concern for his salvation than for all 
we may suffer through his competition. Though doubtless we 
shall lose some readers through this assumed organ of the State 



244 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

association, a thing that lives only in name, and whose head, 
professing to be called to labor in the vineyard of the Lord as a 
gospel minister, prefers the vineyard of the worldly paper as more 
lucrative, we are thankful that the Gospel Trumpet rests only 
upon God and its own merits. 

Our Father in heaven still owns the universe. Truth has not 
lost its power, neither have the four votes cast at Terre Haute de- 
throned the Almighty. Halleluiah! Jesus reigns. 

After dissolution of partnership with Haines, Brother 
Warner was supplied with a colaborer in J. C. Fisher, who 
took a half interest, and was very effectual in starting the 
work in Michigan, where he resided.* 

Illustrative of the poverty of the Trumpet in its infancy 
as well as the construction of the first publishing office, 
is another editorial from the June 1 number here given. 
The location of this new office was on Brother Warners 
lot at 625 West Vermont St., adjoining his residence. 

AN OFFICE FOR THE TRUMPET 
As we have over a mile to walk to our office and have to pay 
$5 a month for rent, we felt led of the Lord to build an office on 
our lot. We had a small stable that would afford some material, 
and, trusting that God would send help, we began to tear it down 
in the name of the Lord. So the other day a dear old saint who 
is a carpenter came to inquire what we had to build with. We 
told him, when he said he had some lumber to add, also door and 
plenty of windows, which he would give very cheap, and give 
work also. 

We are now looking to God for some means, perhaps thirty 
dollars, to buy shingles and some other material. Now, dearly 
beloved reader, as both our family duties and the necessity of 
curtailing expenses, as well as saving time, require us to build 
this office, it may be that on account thereof we shall not be 
able to issue a paper for the 15th. of June. Please remember 
this and do not be disappointed if no paper reaches you. There 
are two other reasons why it will be somewhat difficult to issue 
the next number. First, we have a tabernacle in operation and 
we desire to work all we can in these direct efforts to save souls. 

*See next chapter. 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 245 

And, second, we think of taking charge of the office and doing 
most of the work on the paper ourself hereafter; and having 
but a slight experience in compository work, we shall need to have 
more time on the first paper. But withal we shall issue a paper 
if possible. If the Lord has given you a few dollars for the office, 
send it on. Amen. 

In explanation of why he was not able to issue the paper 
regularly he writes as follows for August 1 5 of that same 
year : 

The announcement that the paper would be on time would have 
been carried out so far as the work on the paper is concerned, 
but it did not please the Lord to send us the means to purchase the 
paper, hence the delay. Well, we are willing that God should 
stop the Trumpet altogether if he will. It belongs wholly to him, 
and so do we, and, bless God, we have nothing to say about it. 
Oh, how perfectly dead to all self in the matter! We will say to 
our readers that the Trumpet shall only be issued as the Lord 
furnishes the means; every two weeks if possible, if not, let all 
know that it was not in our power to do so, and that all our sub- 
scribers shall have the worth of the money paid. Owing to the 
past delays and the fact that we are led to attend some camp- 
meetings, we skip one number with the present issue. 

In the November 1 number we notice more privation. 

We did not move, neither were we able to plaster our office. 
How then do you think we managed to get out this paper? We 
will tell you. Dear Wife tendered her kitchen to the Lord for the 
use of publishing salvation. Praise the Lord! By thus crowding 
in a sufficient amount of the office to get along for the winter we 
shall save fuel, and the expense of finishing the office until next 
fall. Thank God, we are willing to get along any way for Christ*? 
sake, so that we may fulfil our mission and publish truth and 
righteousness. We are not at all mortified at these humble 
facilities from which the Trumpet goes forth to its readers. Christ 
started his earthly mission from a manger. Oh no, we are not 
ashamed to let all men know that the Trumpet is published in 
the rear of a small cottage. God's presence makes the whole 
domicil sacred. Oh, how wonderfully he pours out his glory 
on our souls in this work! 

On the other hand, there were others in whom God 
had planted a love for the truth. Among these was Bro- 



246 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

ther Warner's faithful printer. God had preserved a few 
who should contribute sufficient to the paper to keep it 
going. 

HOW IT LOOKS TO OTHERS 

We know that many think it big to be an editor, hence before 
and ever since we entered upon this work we have feared and 
dreaded being actuated by such motives. When we go out to 
work in the field and we just tell God to let the Trumpet stop 
if it is his will and we will keep right on evangelizing, the Spirit's 
voice soon compels us to return to this sacred charge. 

Once when we had the office up in the city, God tried us thor- 
oughly. We had no money to pay the printer, and he was out 
of meal-tickets, which must be paid in advance. We were senl 
for to come to a meeting in Terre Haute. A brother wrote that 
he would pay our fare, so we borrowed the money and went down 
on Saturday morning. We told the L,ord that, if he did not want 
the paper to continue, to let the printer leave and get work 
somewhere else. As we walked from the depot to the office on 
our return, Monday eve, we said, If that young man is in the 
office it is the wonderful dealing of God. We entered and found 
him cheerfully working away. On Saturday he ran the press all 
day without a bite to eat. As he told us this our heart was 
melted. We entered our little sanctum and poured out our 
soul to God, and he sent the Spirit as the dews of heaven upon 
our heart. 

When we started for the Camargo camp-meeting, we had a 
few dimes. Having been provided with a free pass, through the 

kindness of Brother , who wrote that for months he had 

not thought of the camp-meeting without seeing us on the pro- 
gram and that we must be there without fail,, we left with Wife 
all our change but two nickels. Told our printer that as we had 
no money to give him he might quit if he saw fit and hunt a posi- 
tion where he could get his pay. We remarked that as the Trum- 
pet was not ours we had no choice whether it lived or died. Well, 
it cost us five cents to reach the depot by street-car, and the other 
nickel to carry us and baggage from the train to camp-ground, 
so we just had enough. Praise God from whom all blessings 
flow! Though we were brought there by the direction of God's 

Spirit through Brother , the high priest in charge, probably 

out of self-interest, gave us no place in the pulpit. But God gave 
us a field to work in, and the hearts of the "people who do 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 247 

know their God," and, blessed be his name, in that meeting he 
gave us over sixty-one dollars. So the Trumpet still sends out the 
certain sound. Here is a sample of many letters received the 
last few months. It will show how others see the Trumpet in 
relation to God's will and Satan's dread: 

"Ah yes, Brother Warner, it is the Trumpet the devil wants 
stopped. You may evangelize all you please, so the Trumpet 
goes under, and the devil doesn't care. Do stand by the Trumpet 
at all hazards." 

Of course we know that all such expressions relate to the 
awful and offensive truth of God that we give place to in the 
Trumpet, and not to any ability we possess to write or conduct 
a paper. We are too sorely and constantly pinched by a sense 
of our own ignorance to think anything else. 

In the November 15 number, under the heading, The 
Trumpet Will Go On, we have the following: 

God has blessed us with excellent health and strength. Praise 
his holy name! We can work without apparent fatigue from 
5 A. M. to 1 1 P. M., and we propose doing so, by the continued 
help of God. We feel that the gates of hell can not stop the 
truth. And if we can not issue the paper regularly every two 
weeks, we will issue as often as we can, and give everybody his 
or her full number of papers. The Lord holds us to this work, 
and he can not forsake us in the work whereunto he has called 
us. Let all the readers of the Trumpet obey the voice of the 
Spirit of God, and there will be means both to enlarge and carry 
on the paper for the glory of God. Oh, if the God of salvation 
could but reach some who are blessed with means and draw out 
about two hundred dollars it would pay all the Trumpet debts, 
get the necessities to enlarge the paper, and provide a good 
little stock of paper to start with. We will work, and pray, and 
trust, and God and the dear people will provide the means. 

At the beginning of the second year the price of the 
Trumpet was raised to one dollar. 

For some time before the Trumpet raised to one dollar, nearly 
everybody sent us one dollar instead of seventy-five cents. Thus 
the Lord has fixed the price, and he will provide for its en- 
largement. 

The enlargement came with the first issue in February. 



248 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

It was made a six-column, four pages — 1 5 by 22. In the 
first issue of the new size we find the following editorial : 

We printed two thousand papers this issue. It is quite a task 
on our hand-press ; but, praise God, he gives us blessed health and 
strength, and we are perfectly satisfied to work on with the 
means the Lord has furnished, until he sees proper to give us 
others. 

Early in the autumn of 1 882 the publishing office was 
moved to Cardington, Ohio. Here was a congregation of 
saints among whom the publishing work could be better 
supported. A very pleasant office, warm and well light- 
ed, was rented for thirty dollars a year. Brother War- 
ner acknowledges his enjoyment of the great kindness, 
love, and cooperation of the true saints there. It seems, 
however, that even there the work did not make much 
progress. The old press had by this time become very 
unsatisfactory. Brother Warner sought to hire his print- 
ing work done elsewhere, but his effort resulted in his hav- 
ing to print the first issue of 1883 on a job-press, with the 
paper reduced in size to a four-column 11 by 15. The price 
was dropped to seventy-five cents, then to fifty cents. 
The following editorial will give an insight to his situa- 
tion: 

THIS LITTLE TRUMPET 

Having had our last issue printed on our neighbors steam- 
press, we concluded it would pay us to trade our old press on 
a jobber and have them print the paper regularly. 

Our chief reason for so doing was this: in the time that it 
would take us to print them on the slow old press, we could make 
more on job-work than would pay the printing. But, behold, 
when our neighbors learned that we were getting a job-press, 
they seemed to think we were intruding on their territory, and 
not having the utmost confidence in their typographical ability 
they thought to make us pay a sort of royalty for the privilege 
of doing job-work here, by raising the price of printing the 
Trumpet from four dollars to eight dollars an issue ; and while we 
conceded the perfect right to charge that price, we were happy 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 249 

for the privilege of saving that amount and printing on our job- 
press. 

Of course, we can print but one page at a time, which makes 
four impressions for a folio; and if we print as large as the 
Trumpet has been, it will take eight times running through the 
press, which, after all, can be done in about the same time it 
took to print it in two impressions on the old press, and takes 
one to run instead of three. 

When the paper comes to you only half the old size we will 
call it but a half number, so we will not defraud our subscribers 
in the least. But we desire to send you eight pages every two 
weeks if we possibly can. When we can not, please bear with 
us until the kind providence of God and the liberality of the 
saints help us to get a paper-press. 

The eight-page proposition did not then materialize. 
About this time was adopted the motto, which was car- 
ried for many years: "First pure, then valiant for the 
truth." The home of the Gospel Trumpet was not long at 
Cardington. Brother Warner was desirous of hav- 
ing a permanent home for the Trumpet, where he would 
not have to pay rent. When he moved to Cardington, he 
did not feel that that would be the permanent place for 
the paper. Kind brethren in Michigan made very liberal 
offers and asked him to come there ; but a place was open- 
ing at Bucyrus, twenty miles distant, in Crawford Coun- 
ty. While he was in prayer pleading earnestly for God's 
direction, three teams drove up. It was the brethren from 
Bucyrus, who had come to move the office to that place 
and also help it out of financial difficulties. There was 
great joy in Brother Warner's heart as he realized that 
God had answered prayer and sent help. One of these 
brethren, D. D. Johnston, assisted in the matter of finances. 
He purchased a lot and furnished material with which to 
erect a building. His name appeared as publisher in Aug- 
ust, 1883. 

Brother Warner proceeded to build a small office on 



250 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the lot at Bucyrus. In the last number printed at Card- 
ington he writes as follows : 

While you read this paper, the editor will be personally at 
work erecting a house in which to carry on the work of the Lord. 
If we were building a house for ourself we should want to count 
the cost before commencing; but we are building this house unto 
the Lord, and the earth and the fulness thereof are his, hence, we 
need not stop to count since he says go forward. The under- 
taking is wholly by faith. While at work with our hands we shall 
pray without ceasing to our heavenly Father to send us the means. 

We have had experience enough in our business tp know that 
we never can carry on the paper and pay rent. It is claimed that 
a paper is not self-supporting with most any number of sub- 
scribers without receiving advertisements. Just yesterday in the 
office of a temperance4>aper we were told by an editor and pub- 
lisher that we ought to take in one thousand dollars every year 
for advertisements, and he could not see how the paper could 
be carried otherwise. But, beloved, it must be carried otherwise 
or not at all. Neither do we wish to do any secular job-work 
if we can help it. We shall dispose of our job-press and material 
as soon as possible. Now, beloved, when we shall have ob- 
tained a good paper-press (and it is already bought, thank God) 
and a place free of rent, with much self-denial and care we shall 
be able to send you a paper 22 by 32 every two weeks. 

Some of our dear brethren have in love censured us occasion- 
ally. We find generally these two points, sometimes in the same 
letter, namely, "Why do you not send your paper out more fre- 
quently and more regularly?" the other, "I think you have not 
been on your guard enough to keep out of debt." Well, there it 
is. We could have kept entirely out of debt if we had issued 
fewer papers, and we might have issued every two weeks had 
we gone more in debt. But no one of our experience could pos- 
sibly have issued more frequently, with our income and slow 
facilities. Our dear brethren are without a knowledge of what 
they are talking about. But now, beloved, as we are in this des- 
perate effort to get entirely out of debt and to get situated so 
as to cut off much of our past expense, we hope that all will 
send us the help they can. 

The move to Bucyrus was made in May, 1883. About 
that time the first good press was purchased. It was a 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 251 

rebuilt Country Campbell, allowing either belt- or hand- 
power to be used, and costing perhaps six hundred dol- 
lars. 

The trying times through which the Trumpet had to 
pass in its early years are known only to God. It was 
perhaps his design that it should be tried as gold is tried. 
There were always a few consecrated hearts who contrib- 
uted of their means. Some put everything they had into 
the work. Thus the work was kept alive. Little did 
Brother Warner realize, when he was located at Bucyrus 
and the prospects looked good, that there he should go 
through the bitterest trial of his life. The light of the 
Trumpet came very near being snuffed out entirely. Bucy- 
rus was the narrows in the Trumpet's voyage, through 
which it barely passed. This will be described in our next 
chapter. 

The office of the Trumpet remained at Bucyrus nearly 
a year. Some brethren in Michigan were desirous of hav- 
ing it moved to their locality. Progress had been made at 
Bucyrus, but it was through the furnace of trial rather 
than any extension of influence. But doubtless all this 
experience was necessary as an equipment for greater use- 
fulness. 

The move to Williamston, Ingham County, Mich., was 
made in April, 1 884. A Mr. Horton, a business man of 
Williamston, in whom the Lord had planted a love for 
the truth, went to Bucyrus and had the office equipment 
shipped. The saints in Michigan had in the meantime 
obtained possession of a two-story building 28x84, and 
they had it partitioned, or remodeled, to suit the need, 
the upper story to be used for a hall or assembly-room, 
the rear of the lower floor to be used for living rooms 
and the front for an office. Brother Warner rejoiced 
with tears when the work got started in its new and en- 



252 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

larged quarters in Williamston. The first number of the 
paper published there was dated April 1 5. From its col- 
umns we quote the following greetings: 

We are happy to greet your ears once more, beloved, with the 
sound of the trump of God. The devil has spent all his infernal 
powers in vain to crush this work of God. We have thoroughly 
learned his attitude toward us. In his hellish clamor about us 
for many days, saying, 'You must give up the Trumpet, 5 he has 
clearly committed himself against this cause, and all who are 
against this dissemination of the light of God we know are on 
the devil's side, either wilfully or ignorantly. Oh, how hell has 
poured forth upon us! Night after night we had to leave our 
bed at two, three, and four o'clock, and go to the office and cry 
unto God to drive away the hosts of hell that had encamped 
against us. And every time the power of God dispersed these in- 
fernal spirits of darkness, the Lord recommissioned us to blow the 
Trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on his holy mountain, and 
we were made joyfully] conscious of his approving smile for not 
having backed down before the legions of hell. But the devil 
having drawn to his side the best agents he could ever expect to 
use against us, was fierce and determined to hush the trumpet- 
sound of freedom from all sin and Babylon yokes. Oh, halle- 
luiah ! 

During this terrible combat with the powers of darkness, we 
had to do more fighting than working, hence the work went on 
slowly. We were ready to print about the first of February, then 
the Lord called us by telegram to Kalamazoo, Mich. The next 
day our printer accidentally spoiled the rollers, so that he could 
not print. So the work lay until our return. After looking to 
the Lord until he assured us that the office would be cleared from 
the mortgage, we ordered new rollers, and went to work again in 
the name of the Lord. About the time we were ready to print, 
God sent Bro. Thomas Horton, from Williamston, Mich., who 
paid off the five hundred-dollar mortgage, some other debts, 
chartered a car, loaded us up, and moved office, household goods, 
Master Willie, and ourself to this place, Wife and child having 
remained behind to visit with friends. Moving just at the time 
caused a few days delay in this issue, but now we expect to 
greet you regularly. Praise the Lord! "The Lord giveth, and 
the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord!" So 
said Job. If it was the devil that took it away, he had to get 



THE GOSPEL TRUMPET 253 

a permit from God before he could do it, therefore it was of the 
Lord, and "blessed be the name of the Lord"; for when he 
permits the devil to take anything away he has given to his 
children, he always returns fourfold. We have understood this 
principle long ago, and have thrown it in the face of the devil 
every time he has shown his teeth at us. Blessed be God forever 
and ever! And thus hath God done unto us again. We left an 
office where we were hampered up in 14x26 feet, and here has 
God furnished a building two stories high, 28 x 84 feet, all of 
which is dedicated to the Lord. It contains a large meeting- 
hall, and plenty of room for office and all families connected 
with it. It is, however, under repairs, and we have taken tem- 
porary quarters for a few weeks. 

Every change that was made gave occasion for new 
hopes for the advancement of the publishing work. Ac- 
cordingly we read in the first issue at Williamston : "After 
one more issue we expect steam-power, and there is no tell- 
ing what God will yet do for the Trumpet if the devil 
doesn't quit his hellish opposition." An engine was pur- 
chased during the first year at Williamston. It was of 
three horse-power and cost two hundred dollars. Thus, 
after the trying times of the first four years of its life, the 
Trumpet work began to make substantial progress and the 
reformation cause to expand and become permanent. 

The next move for the Gospel Trumpet was in the 
summer of 1886. Near Bangor, in VanBuren County, 
was a yearly camp-meeting. There were many saints in 
the vicinity and near Grand Junction, seven miles north. 
At the Bangor camp-meeting in June, 1 886, the subject 
of moving the Trumpet Office to that part of the State 
was considered. It seemed to be the mind of the Spirit 
and of all the saints that the removal should be made. 
A commodious and substantial building in the town of 
Grand Junction was offered for eight hundred dollars, or 
about half its worth. The saints agreed to purchase the 
property, and money was raised to pay moving-expenses. 
An encumbrance of five hundred dollars on the machinery 



254 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

was also paid off. Accordingly it was decided to move. 
One freight-car held the entire outfit of office material, 
machinery, and household goods. 

Grand Junction, "where two lightning tracks lay cross- 
ing," was a small town of a few hundred inhabitants, the 
junction of the Chicago and West Michigan (now the 
Pere Marquette) and a branch of the Michigan Central 
Railways, ten miles from South Haven on the lake and 
thirty miles west of Kalamazoo. This became the per- 
manent home of the Gospel Trumpet during twelve years 
of its history. 

Before the move to Grand Junction, Bro. S. Michels, 
of South Haven, assumed with his means a portion of 
the financial responsibility. Being thus directly connected 
with the publishing work, his name appeared as publisher, 
which position he held till relieved by N. H. Byrum, in 
1895. 

About a year after the publishing office was located at 
Grand Junction, the publishing work, and the church as 
well, suffered the defection of J. C. Fisher, who had been 
on the editorial staff and had been useful in the ministry.* 
He was succeeded as assistant editor by E. E. Byrum, 
who remained on the staff for many years, and after Bro- 
ther Warner's death became editor. 

The Gospel Trumpet was a mighty factor in the 
reformation work, a very effectual means of spreading 
the truth. At Grand Junction the Office grew to a sub- 
stantial printing-plant, sending out tons of literature. 
Books were printed, a children's paper was started, and 
the Trumpet became a weekly. It was here that Brother 
Warner's death occurred, in 1895. We close this chap- 
ter with the publishing work located at Grand Junction. 
Brief reference to its present status will be made in anoth- 
er chapter. 

*See Chapter XV for furthei mention of this. 



XV 

THE CRISIS* 

True to prophetic fulfilment, the time was at hand for 
the restoration of the church to her normal state of unity 
and holiness. The scattered condition of God's people 
in the various sectarian denominations was not always 
to continue, for such could not be the ideal state of the 
church; it could not be her final state in which Christ 
could expect to receive her as his bride. For her there 
was a better day at hand. From Romish night to the 
light of justification by faith, possessed among Protestant 
sects generally since the sixteenth century reformation, 
had been a great step upward. Also the Wesleyan 
reformation, bringing in the light of perfect holiness as 
a Christian attainment subsequent to regeneration, marked 
an advance for the truth in its progress by stages unto 
the end of time. There needed to be yet another step, 
another reformation, which should bring the church to her 
fulness of glory, and visualize her unity and solidarity. 

It would seem that the holiness movement that arose 
in the sixties and seventies should have accomplished this, 
but it served only as an approach to it. True holiness 
indeed destroys the elements of sectarianism, and forbids 
a continued state of division among Christians. But the 
holiness movement, as such, came to have holiness only 
nominally for its object. It undertook no antagonism to 
sectarian divisions, though it deplored them. It stood for 
nothing more than holiness as a subject to be taught and 
experienced, and satisfied itself as best it could to remain 
within the denominations. It drew back when the real 
issue came, and in consequence it has long been dissipated 

*Desiring to trace the earlier history of the Gospel Trumpet, I 
have permitted the preceding chapter to overlap this one a few 
years. 



256 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

in the sects, having for forty years accomplished little or 
nothing toward bringing God's people into unity. 

Christian unity can never be brought about within 
the sects nor in connection with any recognition of alleg- 
iance to them. It absolutely can be effected only out of 
and away from the sects, by obedience to God and a 
severance of sectarian ties. Since true Christian unity 
is incompatible with sects, and since coming out of sects 
is opposed by the sect spirit and invites persecution by the 
sects, the only course for the people of God to take who 
have received the light on the true church is to cut loose 
from human institutions and abide in Christ alone, even 
though it places them in a relation hostile to the so-called 
churches. For those first leaving the sects there was no 
body of saints already called out to which they could be 
added. What could it mean to them but a crisis? And 
What would it constitute in the progress of events but a 
reformation? But the Spirit of the Lord was thus leading. 
Since sects are hostile to the movement out of sects, the 
Spirit of the Lord becomes necessarily hostile to them; 
for he indeed leads his people out of sects. But the time 
had come. God's spiritual ones were looking and long- 
ing for some development or other by which they would 
cease to be divided in sectarian bodies. No one had put 
it into their minds; their anticipation of it was prompted 
by the Spirit of God, which was in them. There needed 
some one to sound the trumpet of the Lord, some one to 
take the lead and make a positive declaration against the 
sin of division, some one through whom God could voice 
the call, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
plagues" (Rev. 18:4). 

God had in Brother Warner prepared just such an in- 
strument. His was the spirit of a reformer. He shunned 



THE CRISIS 257 

not to declare God's judgments. His ministry had a 
definite message, and represented the burden of God for 
the purity and unity of his church. Looking back upon 
Brother Warner's career it would seem, as the writer 
has already intimated, that his connection with the Church 
of God (Winebrennerian) , which assumed to have no 
creed but the Bible and to be indeed the true church of 
God, had doubtless served to emphasize to him the true 
church ideal and to shape his course along right lines. 
And his rejection by the Ohio Eldership for the preach- 
ing of holiness awakened him to see that that body was 
not what it claimed to be, but was, after all, only a 
humanly ruled institution, only one sect among the many. 
The light he already had on the church was sufficient to 
forbid his reuniting with them. Thus the so-called Church 
of God had contributed to him the right idea of the 
church, and the holiness movement had brought to his 
understanding the line on which God would bring out 
a pure church, namely, the line of holiness ; and thus was 
the divine Hand leading him and fitting him for the work 
to which he was called. 

We can only imagine what it meant to step out on God 
alone and preach the divine judgments against the apos- 
tate religions of the day, to decry the evils of denomina- 
tionalism, and to undertake on that same line the publica- 
tion of a paper. That his work was despised and that 
Satan undertook to crush it in its very beginning can not 
be wondered at. Its humbleness and apparent insignifi- 
cance looked uninviting to the worldly-minded; but the 
deep spirituality and divine manifestations that character- 
ized it were a sufficient vindication to those who were 
capable of spiritually discerning the truth. There was 
something that said, "This work is of God." There was 
a sense of spiritual freedom and of love and Christian 



258 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

fellowship that bore convincing testimony to those who 
would but listen to the dictation of the Spirit that this 
is indeed the truth. 

But Brother Warner was not alone. God had re- 
served his thousands who no longer were bowing the 
knee to Baal. From them he received encouragement and 
support, though for a few years it seemed his work had to 
go through the crucible of trial. Accordingly we trace 
his difficulties and sorrows, as well as his victories, until 
the cause becomes fully established in the earth. 

From what we learn of Brother Warner's earlier views 
and attitude, he never had a party spirit ; he never was a 
sectarian. Even from his early ministry the love and 
fellowship that exists among the people of God he rec- 
ognized as the paramount bond of Christian union. 
After his conversion, when dealing with the question of 
what church he should join, he is found casting about 
to determine which one represented the real church of God. 
As the followers of Winebrenner had the right name, and 
seemed to him to be correct in doctrine, he was led into 
that denomination. With the insufficient light he then 
possessed he probably failed to see the man rule that 
prevailed, instead of the Holy Spirit rule that character- 
izes the divine, theocratic government in the true church 
of God. He discovered, of course, the clash of this 
man rule with the free, independent inclination of the 
Holy Spirit, by which he preferred to be led. But he 
bore with it patiently, believing that he was in the true 
church ; and it took years to discover to him that the body 
to which he belonged was but a sect. 

It was through the attainment of the Bible standard 
of holiness that he was gradually led into the truth 
respecting the church and sects. Early in 1 878 he wrote : 
"The Lord showed me that holiness could never prosper 



THE CRISIS 259 

upon sectarian soil encumbered by human creeds and 
party names, and he gave me a new commission to join 
holiness and all truth together and build up the apostolic 
church of the living God." He soon began to receive 
light on the Scriptures, which revealed to him that the 
church was to be restored to her primitive glory in the 
evening of the dispensation. The chapter on a Spiritual 
Shaking, taken from his book, clearly shows that when the 
chapter was written (1879) he understood that God 
was going to bring out a pure church. He published this 
in 1 880, which became the date from which the present 
epoch of the church may be reckoned. 

It should be remembered that during this time he was 
connected with the Northern Indiana Eldership; but as 
this was a body already separated from the old Eldership 
because of their purpose to keep on the Scriptural basis, 
he really believed that this body was the true church, for 
that was its claim. Thus he was really out of sectism in 
heart and was associated with a body claiming to be 
the church of God. During the last year ( 1 880) of the 
Herald of Gospel Freedom, when it was fully under 
his editorial charge, its columns, while teaching holiness, 
breathed the principles of the one true church. One of 
its stated objects was "the union of all true believers in 
the Spirit of God and upon the inspired Word.'* Be- 
cause of insufficient light on the governmental aspect of 
the true church, he was slow to discover that even the 
new Eldership was only a body ruled by men. As light 
came on the Holy Spirit government, he looked upon 
the man rule elements in the Eldership as inconsistencies 
that needed removal. It was human machinery that he 
thought needed to be dispensed with. We must concede, 
therefore, that in the meantime he was, to all intents and 
purposes, out of sects. 



260 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

We speak of this' period as the crisis because he took 
such a bold, uncompromising stand against sects and 
taught holiness and the principles of the church with such 
thoroughness that it seemed to awaken every satanic ele- 
ment that had been slumbering under the guise of false 
profession. People had either to accept the truth or go 
into darkness. To him it meant the break-up of old re- 
lations, the drawing of new lines of fellowship, exposure 
to persecution, and everything that might befall the career 
of a reformer. As the teaching of the resurrection and 
the repudiation of circumcision constituted the offence of 
the cross in Paul's day, so the preaching of the Bible 
standard of holiness and the renouncement of all sects 
became the offence of the cross at this time. We shall 
give several selections from the earlier issues of the Trum- 
pet that are representative of its teaching. In the issue of 
Mar. 1, 1881, we have the following: 
BRANCHES 

Where in the Bible do we find the idea of sects being branches, 
as people talk about? "What branch of the church do you be- 
long to?'* is a common expression in these times of antiscriptur- 
al language and practise. Why do not people read their Bibles 
better and learn that every individual believer is a branch in 
Christ— John 15? 

If a whole sect is a branch, then the individual must be a sub- 
branch; but this would make each one dependent upon the sect 
for his union with, and life from, Christ. This would be second- 
hand salvation. We should not like to risk the coupling — I pre- 
fer a direct union with Christ. 

Taking Christ's parable of the Vine and Branches, there is but 
one way to represent branch sects; that is, imagine the branches 
adhering directly to the vine but pressed together and tightly 
bound into several bunches. Thus drawn together each bun- 
dle would have the appearance of a branch; but upon closer 
examination it would be found to consist of many branches each 
adhering to the vine, except a good many dead sticks, that had 
been killed by the unnatural confinement, and had rotted loose 
from the trunk. 



THE CRISIS 261 

We think it is the great business of the pure gospel sword of 
holiness to cut those soul-killing chords, that the Father may 
purge the several branches, and that they may all straighten out 
in natural position — live, grow, and bear fruit unto holiness. 

His account of how he was led to sever his connection 
with the holiness association, which he began to see was 
but a milder form of sectism, is given in an editorial for 
June 1, 1881. 

THAT YE BREAK EVERY YOKE 

Saturday, April 22, the hand of the Lord was heavily upon 
our soul, had no relish to converse with any one but God. Fin- 
ally in company with two brethren we went into the house of 
God at Hardinsburg, Ind., and placed ourselves under the search- 
ing eye of God, when the Spirit of the L^ord showed me the in- 
consistency of repudiating sects and yet belonging to an associa- 
tion that is based upon sect recognition. We promised God to 
withdraw from all such compacts. But being dearly attached 
to the holiness work, we attended the Association at Terre Haute, 
and tried to have the sect-endorsing clause removed from the 
constitution. Its substance is as follows, speaking of local asso- 
ciations : 

"It shall consist of members of various Christian organizations 
and seek to work in harmony with all these societies." 

We offered the following substitute: "It shall consist of, and 
seek to cooperate with, all true Christians everywhere." 

We had supposed that fellowship and cooperation should not 
exclude any person or truth that is in Christ Jesus, and that we 
should not be compelled to bow down to anything not in, nor 
of, Christ Jesus. 

We were positively denied membership on the ground of not 
adhering to any sect. And now we wish to announce to all that 
we wish to cooperate with all Christians, as such, in saving souls — 
but forever withdraw from all organisms that uphold and endorse 
sects and denominations in the body of Christ. 

In the same issue (June 1 ) he reviews a position taken 
by T. K. Doty, the editor of the Christian Harvester. 
We present this article, and also two others, in order to 
show his argument on the question of the church and 
sects. 



262 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

SQUARE COME-OUTISM 

"Probably this means the doctrine of coming out of all the 
sects, and giving the church of Christ no visible organization." — 
Christian Harvester. 

I wish to ask the editor of the Harvester if human sects are 
essential to the visible organization of Christ? The above lang- 
guage so implies. 

Then, according to this statement, the church of Christ was 
without a visible organization hundreds of years, until the pres- 
ent-day sects arose. And if the visible organization thus pro- 
vided is a necessary adjunct to the church, then the apostle Peter 
made a mistake when he said that God had already "given unto 
us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." 

Again, if the formation of sects gives the church of Christ a 
visible organization, will the Harvester please point out the time, 
in the history of the church, when that important event occurred? 

Was it when the first sect was formed, namely, the Roman 
Catholic sect, in the beginning of the apostasy? Did she give the 
church of Christ a visible organization ? If so, what need of 
subsequent efforts at organization? 

We presume that the Harvester does not admit that this cor- 
rupt hierarchy is the church of Christ. S,o there was one sect 
formed, and Christ's church still not visibly organized. 

Out of her came the Church of England. She claims to be the 
identical church of Christ. Does the Harvester admit the as- 
sumption? If not, then he must admit that a second sect failed 
to organize and represent the Church of Christ. 

Again, from the old mother of sects came forth the Lutheran 
sect and her daughters — granddaughters of Rome. Did any. of 
them organize the visible church of Christ? If so, which one? 

Or was it left for John Wesley to organize the church of 
Christ in the formation of the Methodist Episcopal sect? If that 
sect is really the identical church of Christ, then the editor of 
the Harvester is in a hopeless conditon, since severed from that 
body ; but we presume that he still felt that he was in the church 
of Christ after dismembered from that great sect, therefore it is 
not identical with the church of Christ, and her organization was 
not the organization of Christ's church at all. 

Having now followed two branches of Rome to the second 
generation without finding in any of these sister denominations 
the identical church of Christ, we must pass on to the third gen- 
eration. 



THE CRISIS 263 

Is any of the sects that have branched out from the Methodist 
Episcopal sect the church of Christ? If so, wall the Harvester 
point out the one? Will he assume that the one he represents 
is the church of Christ? If so, then he has been without Christ's 
church until recently. If not, then the founding of the Wesley- 
an Methodist sect was not the organization of the body of Christ. 
It is a fact which no man of intelligence will deny, that no one 
sect on earth is the identical church of God. 

But it may be claimed by some that all the sects taken to- 
gether constitute the true church in her visible organization. This 
is also a great mistake. How can all these bodies sum up the one 
organic visible church of God, when they have no organic relation 
to each other? In what a disgraceful light sectism presents the 
church! Does that look like a divine and heaven-born family, 
that is composed of numerous, rival, jealous, independent, and 
conflicting organisms? Oh, I beseech you for Christ's sake, do 
not dishonor God by confounding his church with Babylon con- 
fusion ! 

Instead of sects giving the church of Christ a visible organiza- 
tion they mar and destroy the visible organization and unity of 
the church of Christ. A striking want of identity in the mem- 
bership of God's church and human sects also proves conclusive- 
ly that no sect, nor yet all sects together, constitutes the divine 
fold. Their walls are not the walls of God's house at all, neither 
are "their thresholds" his threshold. Many are in them who 
never entered God's church, and, thank God, many have entered 
by Christ the door who have never attached themselves to any 
of the factions that are not of God, but the result of sin. If, then, 
the constituent elements of sects are not identical with the ele- 
ments of God's church, sects themselves are not identical with 
her, and consequently their organization is not her organization. 

QUESTIONS ANSWERED 
(Aug. 15, 1881.) 

First: "Does the come-out element constitute the true church 
of God?" 

Answer: All true Christians in heaven and earth constitute 
the true church of God. Eph. 3:15. 

Second: "In what particular is the separationist, or come- 
out church, better than the Wesleyan Methodist Church?" 

Answer: This language places antisect Christians in a false 
light. They never teach such a thing as a new sect, whose dis- 



264 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

tinguishing characteristic is simply the coming out of all other 
sects; such is the impression made by the question, and it is a 
false one. The Christians branded "come-outers" have founded 
no church or sect, nor do they intend to; but, on the contrary, 
they have abandoned all sects to live in the one church that 
Christ founded, and into which we were inducted by regeneration. 
This fact is known by hundreds who nevertheless misrepresent 
them continually : this goes with them. God's church is composed 
altogether of "come-outers." The word "church" (ecclesia) 
means the "called out," they are called out of the world, out 
of heathen religions, and all corrupt and bogus Christianity. 
But while the come-out element is embodied in the very word 
"church," she is not to be called "Come-out" church. She em- 
bodies water baptism, but is not a Baptist church. She teaches 
the Sabbath, and the second advent, but is not a Sabbatarian 
nor Adventist church. Her members are all brethren, and united, 
but she is not the United Brethren church. The sin of all this 
is in making one of the subordinate elements pf the system the 
center, and not God in Christ Jesus. But to the question. The 
Wesleyan Methodist sect is an organized party in Christendom, 
a schismatic, or cut-off party, all of which is condemned in the 
Bible. "There should be no schisms in the body." The origin 
of all such disintegrating factions, whether for Paul, Peter, or 
Wesley, is carnality, as the Word of God teaches, "the result of 
sin," says the Harvester. The Wesleyan Methodist sect is human, 
fragmentary, and earthly, and will be utterly annihilated at the 
coming of Christ, with every other schismatic party. The church 
of the living God, in which "come-outers" inhere, to the exclu- 
sion of all human organisms, was purchased, built, and sanctified 
by Christ Jesus, who is its head, door, and foundation. It is the 
"pillar and ground of the truth," and will stand through all 
eternity, that's the difference. 

Fourth: "Wherein does the come-out church excel the Wes- 
leyan, and manifest its divine origin?" 

Answer: This is virtually a repetition of the question above 
answered. We have often said, Why do not opposers of holi- 
ness go to the standards of the doctrine and controvert what they 
say? They never do. Again, we ask, Why do not sect apolo- 
gists attack what "come-outers" teach? They teach the one true 
and catholic church of the Bible — this can not be overthrown, 
therefore sect worshipers seek to hide their sin in misrepresenting 



THE CRISIS 265 

all who abandon sects. Come out of Babylon, brother, then you 
can see much clearer. 

THE SHAFTING GIVING WAY 
(Nov. 1, 1881.) 

If it were not such a solemn thing, it were really amusing to 
see how many are floundering about on the question of organ- 
ized divisions in Christendom. They admit them evil, predict 
their downfall, and then, shrinking from the result of their own 
admissions, they fly to their protection and raise the hue and 
cry against those who bring the gospel of God to bear upon these 
ramparts of sin. 

L. Hawkins, of the Banner of Holiness, admits the design of 
Christ is the spiritual and organic unity of all believers, and 
that an advanced degree of holiness would demolish these walls 
of separation, and then, as if alarmed at their fall, he pleads 
for their toleration at present. 

The Harvester adds, "Then let us hail every sign of real unity 
as from the Lord, and, as holiness laborers, not be afraid when 
the temporary shafting of denominationalism begins to give way." 

So it is admitted that denominationalism is bolstered up with 
temporary shafting. This reminds us of a pamphlet we read 
some years ago, in defense of sect organizations. The writer 
confessed that the denominations were not the real "house of 
God which is the church of the living God," but that they were 
necessary scaffolds for the erection of the house, and that when 
the house shall have been completed, the scaffolds will all be 
taken down. Well, in view of the prospects of Christ's speedy 
coming we prefer to keep off of these old rickety, rotten-timbered 
scaffolds that are destined so soon to tumble down and be con- 
sumed with all the rubbish of Satan's invention. For our part we 
are ready for the sect shafting to give way any day; for we are 
builded into the house of God itself, and have nothing to lose 
or to fear. But many are not ready for the catastrophe. While 
fearing and even predicting the fall of those Dark-Age structures, 
they are unwilling to abandon them. They sit trembling upon 
their lofty but narrow Methodist, Baptist, United Brethren, or 
Presbyterian plank, while with one hand they try to hold onto the 
walls of God's church. We can always tell whether a man is 
resting upon one of these scaffolds or whether he is building 
only on Christ, the sure foundation. If on the latter, he has 
nothing to fear; if on the former, he is sure to command a halt 



266 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

when he sees the true priests of God blowing the trumpets about 
these walls. Such always think the time has not yet come to 
abolish sects and denominations. "Oh! no! do not push against 
our scaffold poles yet; be careful down there! Please don't 
lean against that shafting, there is danger of its falling!" 

One dear minister took us aside at the Alvan (111.) camp- 
meeting last summer and inquired of our views. We told him, 
of course, that we believed in no church but the body of Christ, 
etc. He conceded about all we contended for, but, unwilling to 
abandon his elevated plank, he humbly besought us not to be so 
hard on them. Poor fellow! We think all had better climb 
down from these shaky concerns; for God has announced her 
fall. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the 
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage 
of every unclean and hateful bird. And I heard another voice 
from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues*' 
(Rev. 18:2,4). "Then let us hail every sign of real unity as 
from the Lord, and not be afraid when the temporary shafting 
of denominationalism begins to give way." This is good advice, 
but does Brother Doty walk in it? Does he hail as from the Lord 
those whom the Spirit of God has led out of those cut-off parties, 
which divide the people of God, and who stand in the "one fold" 
and body of Christ? or has he not done his best to represent them 
as teaching "no church," "no organization," and as building 
another sect, etc.? Is it consistent to admit that sects are with- 
out a warrant in God's Word, and that they are the "result of sin 
in the body of believers," and express a hope for the unity of 
God's people, and then join with all the popular holiness journals 
in opposing those who have abandoned all those unscriptura! 
schisms? Is it consistent to say, "We don't want an ism gospel," 
and yet adhere to and stuff the Harvester full of the gospel of 
Wesleyan Methodist ism? 

An event that had to occur sooner or later was Brother 
Warner's separation from the Northern Indiana Elder- 
ship. At the Eldership meeting which convened at 
Beaver Dam, Kosciusko County, Ind., in October, 1881, 
he proposed some measures by which that body might 
be made to conform more perfectly to the Bible standard 
with reference to government. In this he would not be 



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THE CRISIS 267 

heard, and on their rejection of his reform measures he 
realized, probably for the first time, that the new Elder- 
ship, bent on continuing their human organization, was a 
sect with which he must sever his connection, and he then 
and there did so. This event does not properly mark 
his coming out of spiritual Babylon, as some have sup- 
posed. In heart he had already been out, and had 
preached against sects. But he ignorantly supposed that 
the Northern Indiana Eldership of the Church of God 
was not a sect and therefore that he was keeping clear of 
sects. Thus his act at Beaver Dam was a £eepmg out of 
Babylon as much as a coming out. It was the latter only 
in the outward sense, but of course it emphasized and 
gave more definite character to the anti-sectarian stand 
he had previously taken. 

There were others in attendance at the Eldership meet- 
ing who had heard his preaching against spiritual Baby- 
lon and who also took the same step with him. They 
were David Leininger, William Ballenger and wife, and 
F. Krause and wife. We give their names and also 
their pictures as being of those originals who declared 
themselves free from all outward forms of Babylon. 

A similar thing occurred in Michigan. About the same 
time the Northern Indiana Eldership was formed, there 
originated near Pompeii, Gratiot County, Mich., the 
Northern Michigan Eldership of the Church of God. 
This body was formed because its members had been 
isolated from and generally dissatisfied with the old Elder- 
ship, which sanctioned secrecy and was steeped in tobacco. 
About the fall of 1878 there joined this new Eldership 
J. C. Fisher and his wife, Allie R. They had never 
heard of Brother Warner at that time. In the spring of 
1880, J. C. Fisher had occasion to visit Indiana on busi- 
ness, and it happened that while there he heard Brother 



268 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Warner preach, and he accepted the doctrine of holiness 
and received the experience. The following autumn the 
Fishers sent for Brother Warner to come up to that part 
of Michigan and preach holiness. It was then that Allie 
R. consecrated for and also received the experience of 
sanctification.* 

A year later, just before the annual meeting of the 
Eldership (October, 1881), the Fishers and others, 
thinking to get the Eldership to accept holiness and thus 
make good the claim of being the true church, started a 
holiness meeting at Carson City, where the Fishers lived, 
and again had Brother Warner present. This was right 
after the meeting in Indiana where Brother Warner had 
declared his separation from the Northern Indiana Elder- 
ship. The situation was similar to what it had been in 
Indiana. Brother Warner had been preaching on the 
true church and setting forth its divine government, and 
the hope of these Michigan saints was that if they could 
get the Eldership to accept holiness they might get them 
to do away with the human machinery and fill the true 
church requirement. In this they were jdisappointed. 
Before the holiness meeting was over the Eldership 
showed its opposition. Upon this the Fishers and a good 
number of others, nearly twenty in all, withdrew from the 
Eldership. 

Thus there were two centers where a stand of inde- 
pendence with regard to the Eldership and human eccles- 

*She relates that her consecration occurred in the house of an 
Elder Walker, and that so great was the power and manifestation 
of God in Breather Warner while he was praying for her that 
Walker and his wife through fright fled into another room, where 
he was found squatted in a corner. In Brother Warner's report 
of this trip he* speaks of a meeting near Lacey's Lake (in Eaton 
or Barry County) as follows: ''Was happy at this place to meet 
a people whoi have come out of various denominations, ignoring 
human creeds and sects and endeavoring to walk in the oneness 
of the Spirit.' ' 





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THE CRISIS 269 

iasticism had been taken. These two congregations of 
saints — at Beaver Dam, (Ind.), and Carson City, 
(Mich.), — were the earliest in the United States (so far 
as the author knows) who had stepped completely out of 
Babylon and had taken for 1 their basis that of the New 
Testament church alone. An annual camp-meeting was 
established at each place. 

The Michigan saints in order to express in definite 
form their position and intentions drew up the following 
resolutions : 

Whereas we recognize ourselves in the perilous times of the 
last days, the time in which Michael is standing up for the deliver- 
ance of God's true saints (Dan. 12:1), the troublesome times in 
which the true house of God is being built again, therefore. 

Resolved, That we will endeavor by all the grace of God to 
live holy, righteous, and godly in Christ Jesus, "lopking for, and 
hastening unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ," who we 
believe is nigh, even at the door. 

Resolved, That we adhere to no body or organization but the 
church of God, bought by the blood of Christ, organized by the 
Holy Spirit, and governed by the Bible. And if the Lord will, 
we will hold an annual assembly of all saints who in the provi- 
dence of God shall be permitted to come together for the wor- 
ship of God, the instruction and edification of one another, and 
the transaction of such business as the Holy Spirit may lead 
us to see and direct in its performance. 

Resolved, That we ignore and abandon the practise of 
preacher's license as without precept or example in the Word of 
God, and that we wish to be "known by our fruits" instead of 
by papers. 

Resolved, That we do not recognize or fellowship any who 
come unto us assuming the character of a minister whose life 
is not godly in Christ Jesus and whose doctrine is not the Word 
of God. 

Resolved also, That we recognize and fellowship, as members 
with us in the one body of Christ, all truly regenerated and 
sincere saints who worship God in all the light they possess, and 
that we urge all the dear children of God to forsake the snares 
and yokes of human parties and stand alone in the "one fold" 
of Christ upon the Bible, and in the unity of the Spirit. 



270 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

It should be noted that even at this time, while they 
could see the evils of human machinery in the church, they 
had not as yet a perfect knowledge of how the divine 
government would be. They wondered whether they 
should form a new Eldership or whether they had anything 
at all to do in the new procedure, cut loose as they were 
from all human organizations. At this time Sister Fisher 
was given a vision. It was of a tower which she and 
others were constructing with stones that were piled about 
them in heaps. The foundation was already laid and 
they were engaged on the superstructure, their work 
being to polish the stones and fit them for the tower. 
When polished, the stones were clear as crystal. They 
were asked where they got such beautiful stones. She 
replied that they were simply such stones as could be 
found anywhere. Their beauty was brought out through 
the work that was put upon them. The capstone, or 
headstone, was also perfectly clear, but it had a blood- 
red spot in the center which shone and which shed rays 
of light like streaks of blood down through all the tower. 

The vision seemed to her so wonderful. She awoke 
to a full consciousness and said, "Lord, what is it?" He 
answered, "This is my church." Immediately the 
Scriptures in 1 Cor. 3: 11-18; Eph. 2: 20-22; and 1 Cor. 
3:9 came to her mind. She then understood that the 
church was organized by God, and that it was man's part 
to work with him, and let him be Leader and Foreman, 
and that Jesus was the head of the body.* 

*This vision is very similar to the one recorded in the Shepherd 
of Hernias, in the second century. It was a remarkable coincidence 
that while Sister Fisher had never heard of the vision of the 
Shepherd of Hermas, she and her husband had ordered the set of 
books known as thel Apostolic Fathers (in which the Shepherd of 
Hermas is included), and on the same day of her vision the books 
were received and unpacked, and on looking into them her husband 
opened right at the vision in the Shepherd of Hermas. They were 
astonished to find that her vision was there recorded and explained 
as the church. 



THE CRISIS 271 

They soon learned to be led of the Spirit and that they 
were complete in Christ in matters of government as well 
as everything else. Conscious of their freedom from the 
bondage in which they had been held and that they had 
taken their stand on God alone, they were blessed with 
the Spirit of God upon them and their assemblies in a re- 
markable manner. The joy of the Lord was their por- 
tion and they were satisfied. Thus the reformation had 
taken complete form. The light began to spread and the 
work became established in various places. A sister 
Harris* living near Bangor, in the southwestern part of 
Michigan, was called up to Gratiot County in July, 1 882, 
to attend the funeral of a niece. While there she heard 
J. C. Fisher preach and she invited him down to her part 
of the State. He went the following October and held 
meetings there, which were very successful, resulting in 
a number getting saved. An annual camp-meeting was 
started there the next year. This camp-meeting has been 
continued ever since, though it was taken to Grand Junc- 
tion, seven miles north, in 1892. Thus this part of the 
State was one of the first sections where the work of the 
reformation was established, and Grand Junction became, 
at a later date, the home of the publishing plant for a 
number of years. 

That God was working on a similar line in other parts 
of the world may be seen from a letter written from Eng- 
land and quoted in the Gospel Trumpet from the Chris- 
tian Harvester. 

SOUL PROSPERITY WITHOUT THE PENS 
We extract the following from a letter in the Christian Har- 
vester from E. Morgan, Maidstone, England: 

"We have a number of people who enjoy holiness, men and 
women, old and young, who do not belong to any sect. They 
have the presence of the Holy Spirit with them in a much richer 
and more powerful way than the friends in the churches. This 



272 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

seems to indicate that the Lord will raise up an army to do his 
work, and perfect love will be the uniting power that will keep 
them one." 

It is not at all to be wondered at that those who have obeyed 
God and come out of all human sects should have a superior de- 
gree of God's grace and Spirit with them, who are free from the 
oppression and interdiction that we hear so much of in all our 
holiness papers. Yes, God is now raising up that holy army who 
stand free in Christ, bound only by the truth and the love of God. 
From the above, we see, as well as from the testimony of hun- 
dreds in this country, that the assertion that coming out of sectism 
results in spiritual death is a groundless falsehood. The result 
is always the opposite, unless it be in some instances where souls 
have been overwhelmed with the hellish rage and deceitful, per- 
secuting spirit of the sects, which has induced a superindignation. 

Brother Warner's separation from the Northern Ind- 
iana Eldership was the subject of comment by his con- 
temporary editors and others. His reply to a letter on 
the subject of his leaving the church is here given. 

A dear brother writes to us as follows : "I think you have erred 
in leaving the Church of God, and yet God is blessing you and 
the Trumpet." . . . 

To talk about "leaving the church of God and yet receiving the 
blessing of God," is Babylon confusion. There is absolutely no 
way given under heaven and among men whereby we can leave 
the church of God but by ceasing to live by faith in and obedience 
to Jesus Christ, or falling into and continuing in sin; in which 
case God does not and can not continue his blessings upon that 
soul as before. Therefore, when certain preachers in Ohio pub- 
lished that I had left the church (which was false, for they them- 
selves cast me out of their synagog for the crime of preaching 
real experimental holiness), they declared the fact that what 
they worship in the name of the "Church of God" is only a 
"creature" of men, to which they invite members and report 
"accessions" through a different process than that of regeneration, 
which is the only means of accession to God's church. And when 
people talk of our having left the church, because we withdrew 
last fall from a human corporation called the "Northern Indiana 
Eldership of the Church of God," they simply show that the 
devil's counterfeits still pass current with them ; they call that the 



THE CRISIS 273 

church which does not answer the Bible description of the church. 
Oh, how hard it is to get rid of the marks of the beast, and the 
number of his name! 

The Bible speaks of churches -of Qod in Galatia, in Achaia, in 
Asia, etc., but we do not read of any northern, southern, eastern 
or western Galatian, Achaian, or Asiatic Elderships of the church 
of God. You see this thing — Northern Indiana Eldership of the 
Church of God — is too long for any use, so we just take the broad- 
ax of God's Word and chop it in two between "of" and "the" 
and throw the first part to the moles and bats, according to the 
sayings of the prophet. Then we have the church of God left, 
which is the body of Christ, "the fulness of him that filleth all in 
all." Glory to God and the Lamb, "we are complete in him"! 

If some more would suffer the excision of this useless append- 
age, there would be quite a vacuum made for the reception of 
this "fulness." The term "Eldership" as used in this case, is both 
contradictory in itself and a perversion of God's Word. Where 
the apostle Paul speaks of "laying on of the hands of the pres- 
bytery," the Bible Union and some other versions render "hands 
of the eldership," and I think correctly, too. So I accept the 
word "eldership" as a Biblical term. But what is its obvious 
meaning? Simply the elders of the church in one locality, or in 
a district, or country, as the case may be. To apply it therefore 
to an organized corporation is a misapplication, a perversion of 
one of the words ,of God's Holy Book. It is contradictory, and 
asserts a falsehood, because the corporate "body" to which it is 
applied is not composed of elders, but of brothers and sisters, a 
few elders, and without doubt some sinners and backsliders; so 
this use of the word changes the truth of God into a lie." Like 
every other body that is not identical with the body of Christ, 
this "new Eldership," as it is often called, is a rival of the body 
of Christ, and is used by the devil to generate party spirit and 
sectish bigotry. Nothing is more natural than the disposition of 
carnality to want to get up something besides the glorious church 
of the Firstborn. 

The reason is obvious. Christ built his own church, adds the 
members, and spews out the unworthy; 'He is head over all to his 
body, the church,' the only real ruling power, except as he chooses 
to execute his will through some of the members. Hence this 
gives no place to aspirants who wish to work up something that 
men can build, so as to receive the glory, and become lords over 
the work of their hands. As Sister M'Creery says in her history 



274 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

of the origin of the Free Methodists — during the six years that 
they were contented to work with a single eye, and let God build 
up his own church, and receive all the glory, the Spirit was with 
them in mighty power to save souls, because they had no craft 
to look after; but after they set up the Free Methodist idol, it 
was all, "He 'o he, go up Free Methodism!" And ceasing to 
work exclusively for God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and 
joy in the Holy Spirit, and founding another sect, that they call 
"Our Church," they necessarily became double-eyed, and lost the 
real power of God. So after our meeting last fall we heard the 
call to rally up the party spirit; and to apologize for the addi- 
tion of this sect corporation to the several hundred already in the 
mazes of Babylon, it was called the "Northern Indiana Eldership 
of the Church of God, opposed to Secret Societies." Just as 
though the church that Christ himself founded did not oppose 
secret societies, therefore it is necessary to form another "body" 
for that purpose. Thus every sect on earth is an insult to God; 
even their formation implies that we are not complete in Christ, 
hence the "necessity," as B. T. Roberts said, of our organizing 
another sect. 

The Trumpet's New Year's greeting, at the dawn of 
its second year, has an interesting tone. 
NEW YEAR'S GREETING 

To all who may read this Trumpet, and especially to all who 
love the truth, we send you our brotherly greeting, a "Happy New 
Year," and a heartfelt "God bless you." Our heart overflows 
with love and gratitude to God. and all his loving saints, for all 
the benefits and mercies that filled the expiring year. Dearly 
beloved friends and patrons of the Trumpet, and lovers of its 
hated truth, we are happy to report from this watch-tower of 
Zion that we see nothing but success, victory, and glory. A be- 
loved father in Israel in New York on first seeing the Trumpet 
recently wrote us of his inexpressible gratitude, and he remarked 
that he had tried to have one established in Chicago, but says 
he, "There was no one interested in the truth, that seemed to 
have sufficient means to undertake the project." Well, glory 
to God. He has chosen the weak things, and the moneyless, to 
carry on a work which to all human appearances, in this sect- 
loving and idolatrous age, could not be accomplished without 
considerable capital, and on a free basis — the wonderful work 



THE CRISIS 275 

of God. How has he "surprized the hypocrites," and confounded 
the prophets of Babylon! G. D. Watson but uttered the predic- 
tions and carnal prayers of thousands when he said through an 
antichrist sheet in this place, "Brother Warner can not succeed 
in that line." What is this but a thrust at Jesus Christ! It 
virtually says to the Son of God: "In the prosperity of our church- 
es, there can be nothing but failure in the attempt to build up 
'God's Church.' " Oh, these devotees of Babylon would blot 
out of existence, if they could, the church that Christ founded 
over eighteen hundred years ago, to augment the glory of our 
"great Methodist Church" founded less than a hundred and 
fifty years ago! 

Well, Brother Warner may have failed in many respects; but 
no man that reads the Trumpet can deny the fact that God and 
truth have most gloriously triumphed. And the Trumpet, too, 
through the God-approved truth it holds forth, has proved a 
glorious success, notwithstanding the different measures Satan has 
devised to hedge up its way. One poor whited sepulcher had the 
impudence to say with a satanic chuckle, "We will crush the 
Trumpet" and "take all Brother Warner's subscribers." A gen- 
tleman in this city when asked to take the chaff, and baby-soap, 
sheet, remarked, "If you succeed with this paper will it not break 
down the Trumpet?" and received the following reply: "That's 
just what we want to do." He told a brother this, and said he did 
not think there was much holiness in that, and did not want the 
paper. Yet one, M. L. Haney, who was canonized at the Jack- 
sonville convention as "the Patriarch of Holiness in the West" 
and everywhere else, is so blind that he has twice presumed to 
intimate that that enterprise might be of God, saying "If your 
paper is of God." Nearly all the professed holiness periodicals 
have been hauling barrels of water and pouring on the altar of 
God's truth and filling up the trench round about; but God is all 
the more glorified in this test between the Trumpet and the 
prophets of sects. Praise his name! 

The Gospel Trumpet has proved Satan false in more than one 
way. In all love, we suggest to all those papers and preachers 
that have been in the habit of telling the people that "separation 
from the sects invariably results in spiritual death" to read the 
Trumpet, then shut their mouths, and cease their lying against the 
truth. There is not a sect-endorsing paper in the land that pre- 
sents as strong array of testimony to clear definite holiness, Holy 



276 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Ghost power, wonder-working faith, and fruitful lives. And we 
have abundance of live, glowing reports and experiences that 
we have not had space to use, andi nearly all have spared us the 
necessity of telling you that the writers are without the camp of 
creed factions. We have published numerous expressions of 
appreciation, because, by their strong relish for the truths of the 
Trumpet coupled with their vigorous spiritual health and use- 
fulness in Christ, they condemn all who reject the food we issue, 
as perverted and spiritually diseased. To the former class the 
Trumpet is heavenly music; but to the latter, it is an annoying 
sound, because their hearts and ears are not sufficiently circum- 
cised t,o endure sound doctrine. The Trumpet has demonstrated 
the fact that God is able to carry a war against the devil in his 
strongest, last, and most desperate fortress. 

God has in a remarkable manner heard and answered our 
prayers; not always however in the way we expected, but far 
better than we imagined. Last spring we prayed the Lord for a 
more speedy press, but the furnace of trial through which he 
brought us was better for our soul than a hundred presses and ten 
thousand subscribers. Glory to the God of Daniel, and the 
Hebrews! Oh, what lessons we have learned in the salt and fire 
school of Christ! We would gladly pull the lever of the Lord's 
good old hand-press for forty years to come, rather than have 
missed those furnace-wrought visions of God, of his church, and 
of the great sect abomination. To all the patrons of the Trum- 
pet, we would return many thanks f,or the means you have 
furnished the Lord's cause, and the many appreciated contri- 
butions you have sent us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 
You have largely made the paper what it is, and by your con- 
tinued labor of love and sacrifice for Christ's sake you will con- 
tinue to improve and enlarge the paper and extend its sphere of 
usefulness. We regard the real testing-point in the Trumpet as 
past; God has established the work of our hands. Our circu- 
lation is steadily increasing; we have been printing sixteen hun- 
dred papers each issue, sixteen fifty this time, and we do not have 
fifty papers left when we get through mailing. The demand for 
canvassing and sample copies continually increases. 

To Babylon and all her concomitants, we promise nothing but 
fire, sword and hammer, and confounding blasts from the armory 
of God's Word. We have scarcely begun the bombardment of 
the wicked harlot city. By the grace of God, we expect to deal 
with sin and sinners as we never yet have done. Some have in- 



THE CRISIS 277 

timated to us that we have been too personal in rebuking Church 
sinners: but, before God, we are ashamed of and repent for our 
mildness and want of personality in the past. And now we give 
fair warning to hypocrites, and all whose walk has not been up- 
right before God, that if you don't repent and publish your con- 
fession of sin, the Lord has made it our duty, so far as we know, 
to expose and rebuke you before all. We know no man after the 
flesh, and we seek to please no man. If God can not carry on 
the paper by us seeking only to please Him, the Trumpet will 
surely be discontinued. But God is our sufficiency. "I shall not 
want." "For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be 
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know 
that I shall not be ashamed" (Isa. 50:7). 

While it is our duty to reprove all outward sin, we must keep 
the fact prominent that all reform must begin at the heart, which 
God only can change; inward transformation is only upon the 
condition of faith, and, therefore, must be definitely presented in 
the Scriptural order of pardon and adoption to the sinner, and 
entire sanctification to the believer. We regret that some attempt 
to beat down the ice-mountain of sect by the hammer of the 
Word, without the melting fire of the Holy Spirit. Getting peo- 
ple out of the sects any other way than by leading them to Christ 
for heart purity and the reception of the Comforter, which leads 
the soul from all sects and into all truth, is but enlisting men 
into carnal crusade against Babylon, and can result in little 
good, and has, in some instances, hedged up the way and turned 
back the tide of God's truth more than it will be able to advance 
it. Because the Bible experience of entire sanctification is the 
true objective of Christ's atonement and shed blood, and because 
thorough holiness destroys sects and denominations, as frost 
would disappear under the beams of the June sun, and as the 
promotion of true holiness is the only remedy for schisms and 
every other form of sin in the body of professed Christians, 
therefore the Gospel Trumpet shall continue to "praise the beauty 
of holiness" and proclaim the power of the blood of Christ on 
the gospel line of definite holiness and perfect heart-purity. We 
ask the cooperation and prayers of all true saints of God, who 
love the freedom of Christ Jesus our Savior. 

The truths of the reformation were disseminated largely 
by the Gospel Trumpet, and in many parts of the country 
there were those with whom its teachings found a hearty 



278 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

welcome. A few bits of correspondence addressed to 
Brother Warner and taken from the Trumpet of early in 
1882 are here presented. 

I like the Trumpet very well; hope it may sound out long, 
loud, and clear to call the people back to the old paths, the 
good way. Yes, truly it is the good way. the strait and narrow 
way, the new and living way, and the high and holy way. You 
may count me a subscriber as long as the Trumpet sticks to the 
Bible. Your brother purified and being tried, E. B. B. 

He keeps them that put their trust in him. I pray God the 
time may soon come when Christians shall be united as one in 
Christ Jesus, the living Head, and throw away all divisions, tak- 
ing Christ for their head and having their names enrolled on 
God's book in heaven. May the Lord bless all the saints. May 
God bless you, Sister Warner, in giving up part of your house in 
order that the Gospel Trumpet may still be printed. Oh, we can't 
give up the Trumpet! Oh, that I could do something! I will 
do what I can to help you. The Trumpet must go on. Enclosed 
find the widow's mite. L. B. 

We are strangers, never have seen each other, yet we know 
each other by the Spirit that is given us. I am glad you have 
grace enough to run the Gospel Trumpet without any visible 
means. They that overcome inherit all things. The Lord will 
not forsake you in the work. He will help you to carry it 
through. I gladly send you one dollar and would gladly send 
you more if I could at present. I have no love for sects in my 
soul. L. M. 

Success crown your labor of love in the kingdom and patience 
of Jesus. 

May sectarianism totter and fall to its very base, and glory 
and unity fill God's kingdom of peace and righteousness. 

God grant that the trumpet of salvation may continue to sound 
its certain blasts, until Babylon be overthrown by the power of 
God and truth. Mrs. L. L. and Eld. J. M. 

God bless you abundantly. Amen. My heart is with you to 
do the whole will of God, regardless of great or small men, 
bigots, or devils. T. F. D. 

I have received two numbers of the Trumpet; the sentiments 
therein taught are mine and have been for fifteen years. My 
wife stands with me. Let the Trumpet continue to sound louder 
and louder, until the walls of sectarian Jericho fall. J. C. A. 



THE CRISIS 279 

The more I deepen in Christ, the better I understand the doc- 
trine Brother Warner advocates; and the more I understand 
the doctrine advocated and acquaint myself with the early his- 
tory of the Friends, the greater similarity I find between the two. 
He does not insist upon entire separation from the world in 
every form stronger than they did. F. W. 

God bless you and yours and the great and glorious work in 
which you are engaged. Would like to help you scatter pure gos- 
pel truth without isms or man-made walls. The Lord hasten 
on the day when they shall all fall to rise no more. Glory to 
God! Yours saved, J. L. K. 

In the issue of Jan. 16, 1882, Brother Warner ans- 
wers a number of criticisms by contemporary editors. 

TO OUR CONTEMPORARIES 

"Modern come-outism, or, better said, no-churchism." We 
hold that uniting with the people of God in church fellowship, 
even of our own choice, does not necessarily constitute us sec- 
tarians." — Gospel Banner. 

In all love we would ask our kind Brother Brenneman to inform 
us of those modern "no-church" men of whom he speaks; give 
us the address of any man professing godliness who believes in 
and claims membership in no church. 

Second. Is the body of Christ no church? 

Third. If there is any way to get into the church besides 
Christ and through the Holy Spirit — if the church is something 
that men open the door of and admit members into — please give 
us "thus saith the Lord" for it. 

Fourth. If uniting with one party or sect of the professed 
people of God does not constitute one a sectarian, then why 
should union with a Masonic lodge constitute a man a Freemason? 

Fifth. If a person is in Christ Jesus, is he not in the church, 
and is he not already joined to all others that are joined to the 
Lord? 

Pure Religion very smartly, as she supposes, ranks "come- 
outers" with "all other sects," by which she virtually admits that 
they are as good as the others, and then says that it takes the 
following elements to make a good "come-outer" : 1. It is 
necessary that the person be "turned out of some church," mean- 
ing of course one of those "other sects," for a little sober, candid 
reflection upon the Bible will show any person that such remarks 



280 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

can not apply to the true church at all; for "the Lord added to 
the church daily such as should be [or, were being] saved," and 
'no man [or ecclesiastical court] can pluck them out of his hand.* 

If the editress of Pure Religion were half as zealous to know 
what the Bible teaches as she is to exhibit her wit, she would 
doubtless have learned that the church is not something that men 
organize and admit members into, but that it is "a holy temple 
in the Lord/' "God's building, God's husbandry." 

2. The editress thinks that to be a good "pome-outer" the 
person should have a small stock of religion and "quite a good 
stock of ignorance." We presume that she did not consider 
that in those words she condemned as nearly graceless and very 
ignorant such men as Luther, Melancthon, Fox, and Wesley, who 
at the very time when they stood out of and condemned all 
sects and did not contemplate joining or forming any, wielded 
their greatest power for God. 

The Good Way recently informed us that Wesley never con- 
templated the forming of a sect. What was he then but a "come- 
outer"? It is an undeniable fact upon record that he deplored 
the unhappy divisions and parties of Christendom. 

It is the uniform testimony of the history of the Reformation 
that every reform effort was attended by a much greater power 
and demonstration of the Spirit of God before it culminated in 
a new sect than ever was manifest in that sect afterward. I 
think I can safely challenge a single exception to this fact. 
During ten years labor in the denomination that grew out of the 
labors of J. Winebrenner and his coworkers, it was the constant 
admission of the old fathers and mothers that no such power 
pf God had been witnessed in that body as was before they as- 
sumed and received the name of another religious denomination. 
The same is true of early Methodism, and in a remarkable 
manner is it true of the Free Methodists. Let me give you a 
few extracts from the "History of the Origin of Free Methodism," 
by Sister Sidney M'Creery, who with her husband, Joseph 
M'Creery, was associated with B. T. Roberts and William Kendall 
from the beginning of the great holiness revival that resulted 
in their separation from the Methodist Episcopal sect. Hence 
she testifies what she knows and declares what she has seen. 

The record is that for six years they worked and prospered 
wonderfully under the power of God and freedom from all sect 
yokes, and that from the formation of a new sect by B. T. Roberts 



THE CRISIS 281 

the glory departed from the Nazarites, as they had been called. 
She says: 

"B. T. Roberts in his discipline says the Free Methodist organ- 
ization was a necessity. Was it? Let the hundreds testify who 
were s,o wonderfully and lovingly united together in the Holy 
Ghost. The truth is this: God's heritage and work were spoiled 
by the laying on of man's hands. 

"While enjoying this spiritual fellowship all was peace and 
harmony and the work of conversion went on, the saints rejoiced, 
and the sectarian devil was mad, sinners in Zion were afraid 
and trembled as they saw the weakest saint upon his knees. 

"B. T. Roberts started out with a trap in hand, making a new 
test of fellowship. He visited far and wide among the live 
pilgrims, preaching sect fellowship as the one thing needful, 
and that they could go no further without it. 

"In most cases it took them by surprize. They examined them- 
selves and reasoned thus: We are already in fellowship with 
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in holy spiritual fellowship 
with the saints, and God has given us the victory again and 
again while fighting against the unholy sects. What can the 
sect yoke do for us? We are now free to go everywhere preach- 
ing and teaching in the name of Jesus. Thus many stood out for 
a while. Oh, what robbery, what treachery, to pervert and use 
this work of God, which began so gloriously, to the building up 
of a carnal and selfish organism! At every gathering, large or 
small, the sect yoke was presented and held forth as 'the cross'. 

"My husband was satisfied with God's way of ordering the 
battle; yea, more than satisfied; he rejoiced and was exceeding 
glad to see the prosperity of Zion in our midst. While B. T. R. 
said in action by the formation of his sect, T have suffered 
enough reproach and shame; I will number Israel and become 
as other nations,' then the work of building up 'our church' 
commenced. How the enemy triumphed! At all the gatherings 
the spirit of sectarian zeal was worked up to the highest pitch, 
and so fulfiling the scripture which saith, 'Wh,o changed the truth 
of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more 
than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.' . . . "And today he 
(B. T. R.) has no more influence than any other sect bishop, 
whereas he was once a terror to evil-doers and a praise to them 
who did well. From this time the battle of the Lord ceased and 
the enemies rejoiced. Some who remember the former days of 
liberty and power ask B. T. R. why the same power is not mani- 



282 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

f ested now as formerly. He answers ,on this wise : God then gave 
the people a special blessing for a special work. Very good; but 
why not continue under these special blessings and in this special 
work? What an absurdity, what inconsistency to build another 
sect in order to go through the same variations and evolutions of 
its predecessors! Was it pleasing in the sight of God to manu- 
facture another class of backsliders? Was it a necessity? Wher- 
ever I go I find the burden of Free Methodist preaching is to 
backslidden membership, whereas before its formation — while they 
remained in Qod's order, where he placed them — every man, 
woman, and child was able to do a full day's work. In visiting 
many places I find them (the F. M.'s) nearly, if not quite, extinct. 
In missionary fields the work takes well for a season, but when 
they begin proselyting and making it a 'necessity' to gather them 
into their peck measure, then the Lord leaves them to themselves. 
As I am passing through the land I often meet with those with 
whom I was acquainted during the war of the Lord, and immedi- 
ately they refer to the former days of power and salvation and 
say, 'We don't have such meetings nowadays; I would go a long 
distance to enjoy such privilege.* " 

We might multiply quotations, but these will suffice to show the 
fact that the formation of sects is the destruction of Christianity. 
Thus it is an undeniable fact, that when men enjoyed the stig- 
matized "come-out" "stock of ignorance," they have been used 
of God far more than after they suddenly became wise (?) in 
building up a wall about themselves or entering a sect pen built 
by some one else. 

The Vanguard calls coming out of Babylon "a kind of spiritual 
rash" ; and Pure Religion and Gath Rimmon both think that very 
smart, and serve it up to their readers. May the Lord forgive this 
lightness. Had we not better look into the Word of God and 
see what the Lord saith, than to indulge in mere witticisms? 
Doesj the Word of God teach that it is a "spiritual rash" to be- 
long to Christ alone and hold only to him, "the head over all 
things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that 
filleth all in all"? Was Christ afflicted with a spiritual rash 
when he said, "There shall be one fold and one shepherd"? 
Was that the infirmity that Paul had when he said 'there should 
be no schisms in the body' — no Methodist schism, no Wesleyan 
schism, no Free Methodist bond schism, nor United Brethren; 
yea, no schism? 



THE CRISIS 283 

Now, brethren, if you dare drop the scales from your eyes 
and look squarely at the Holy Bible, you must admit that every 
one of those sect organizations which you call churches are 
schisms, just what God condemns and forbids. Unless you are 
shamefully blind, you know it to be the truth and nothing but the 
truth, and your slurs and sarcasms can not revoke that truth 
nor enable you to stand when you are judged by it. 

There are other exchanges that have uttered hard things against 
the Rock on which I stand. Now, I simply want you to know 
what you are doing, then if you wish to continue kicking against 
the goads, you may do so. Do you believe that Christ purchased 
and founded one church of the living God? Do you believe that 
the "body of Christ" is the church? Do you believe that Christ 
is the only door to the church, and that "by him if any man 
enter he shall be saved"? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit 
sets the members in the body, the church? Do you believe there 
should be "no schisms in the body"? Do you believe that be- 
lievers are "made perfect in one" and that "thorough holiness 
destroys sects and denominations"? Do you believe that 'divi- 
sions and offences are contrary to the doctrine we have received* 
of Christ? Do you believe that Christians should not be "un- 
equally yoked together with unbelievers"? 

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I ask any paper to speak 
out and tell me which of these points you dispute. And if you 
say you believe them all, as some of you have, then I ask, Why 
do you object to my believing the same? for that is just what I 
believe. The only difference is, I act consistently with my faith, 
whije you say and do not. 

You admit there is but one church of God, still you think hard 
of me for not allowing that all your "churches" are of God. 
This is God's truth and you can not deny it. You say that sects 
are wrong, but advise God's children to continue in the wrong. 
I claim that sects are wrong, and therefore say, Come out from 
among them, as saith the Lord. Men professing godliness should 
act consistently with their belief. 

If you believe that Christ is divided and there are many folds, 
many bodies, many Lords, many faiths, instead of "one fold," 
"one body," "one Lord," and "one faith," then you may con- 
sistently with your faith antagonize the Gospel Trumpet; but you 
must abide the consequences of fighting against God's Word. 
And remember this, that in the day of judgment it will do you no 



284 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

good to have put false colors on the truth you are opposing. 
You will not plead before the bar of God that I taught "no- 
churchism," "no organization," etc. 

If you are ignorant of the Trumpet's teaching, you will be con- 
demned before God for opposing and speaking evil of the things 
you do not understand. You should hold your peace until you 
know what you are talking about. 

If you do know what we — myself and contributors — teach, 
you know that every paper insists on organization, the very 
organization set forth in the New Testament, and you do know 
that we all advocate the church, and never have encouraged any- 
body to leave her; but we chose to learn from the simple Word 
of God what the church is, and not from your Dark Age creeds 
and confused tongues. Now, all you who have lifted up your heel 
against Christ and his body, the only true church in heaven and 
earth, have done so because you have some sect idol in your heart 
and can not receive the truth or endure sound doctrine, or else 
you have not the moral courage to assault the devil in his 
stronghold of divisions. What does Satan care for your clamor 
against the "sin in the sects" so long as you give him the best 
means of bringing God's house or kingdom to naught — the sin of 
sects? I pity your sad confusion. May God give you all re- 
pentance to the acknowledging of the truth. 

An editorial in the July 25 number answers an objec- 
tion by the editor of the Sword. 

THAT'S RIGHT 

Brother Dolan makes a sweeping cut with his Sword like this: 
"Sectism is of the devil, and no-sectism is of the devil." 

Amen. That's true. An ism spirit may attach itself to any 
principle, false or true. 

As many sects have been developed by making a center of 
some subordinate point of the Christian system as by rallying 
upon some mere human tradition. 

Whether men worship the moon or an idol of their own make, 
it is an equal insult to God; and whether men worship a gospel 
principle, or a doctrine of devils, is of little if any difference in 
the sight of God. Either case is idolatry; because Christ is sup- 
planted as the center by something else either subordinate or 
foreign. When men get a chronic lopsidedness, so that they will 
scan greedily over a paper and drop it as soon as they see noth- 



THE CRISIS 285 

ing on their hobby, whether it be sect or antisect, Sabbath or 
antisabbath, or anything else, notwithstanding it may contain 
much good, pure food, many blessed thoughts about Jesus, they 
have put something else in the place of Christ, and their religion 
runs about like a grindstone with its axis near the outer cir- 
cumference and passing diagonally through the stone. 

We once heard a Disciple preacher say that every sect that 
holds some truth that no other sect holds, has a right to its 
existence. This provides for as many sects as there are truths 
in the religion of Christ; but God allows no "schism in the body." 
Nothing but the exclusive 'holding the Head,' 'seeing Jesus only/ 
and the full enjoyment and constant "praising of the beauty of 
holiness," can keep us from all isms. 

A selection from the Vanguard, copied in the Trumpet 
shows the spiritual state into which a number of leading 
holiness editors had by this time drifted because of a 
failure to follow as God was leading. 

BACKSLIDDEN 

Brother Brooks in the last number of the Banner (and his 
authority as the oldest holiness editor in the country can not be 
doubted) says that the agressiveness has gone out of the holiness 
movement, and ceasing to be aggressive it is a dying thing. In 
most places its numbers are decreasing, only a few accessions. 

Well, he tells the truth. The holiness people as a general 
thing through the country are backslidden from God. A large 
per cent of them never had anything but a reclaimed backslidden 
experience to leave. They got back to God and called it by the 
new name of holiness, taught to do so by superficial teachers 
that wanted to swell the Banner reports. 

The chief cause of this awful declension that has rolled back 
the tide of the salvation of the world a decade is that the editors 
and evangelists, failing to become more and more aggressive at 
every point against sin in the church and out, especially among 
holiness people, have backslidden as a class. . . . 

Brother Brooks told me he could not put radical truth into the 
Banner without Brother Haney and Brother Kent and other such 
temporizers writing and denouncing him; so Brother Brooks 
would yield and backslide from Holy Ghost power. 



286 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Bro. Isaiah Reid told Brother Sherman he did not want any- 
thing in his paper that would indicate that the holiness people 
were not a(l right; he was planning toi have the Highway as a 
support for his old age. A year ago he called for a thousand 
"firemen" in the holiness work as the only thing needed. He 
has spent his energies this year in regulating the fiery come-outers 
from wrecking the train, and evidently wants the oaks of Bashan 
slashed down with a little hatchet, and not with a broadax. 
Rams' horns, goad sticks, and the unsectarian "jaw-bone of an 
ass" Philistine-killer, he evidently does not take much stock in. 
Brothers Inskip and Macdonald are not square on the Freemason 
question and are churchy. While the shell remains in part of radi- 
cal holiness, that only is the real thing, much of the spirit is gone. 
You may call it fault-finding, sour godliness, or whatever you 
please, these are God's facts about your case. You know the 
whole batch of you are afraid to throw red-hot truth uncom- 
promisingly everywhere. We except from this catalog Baker and 
Arnold of the Free Methodist, Warner of the Trumpet, Johnson 
of the Stumbling Stone (if he had the Holy Ghost), and the 
Sword, and some others. 

Njow Brother editors and evangelists, suffer the word of exhor- 
tation from a "jaw-bone," break up your fallow ground, do your 
first works, burn up Haney's chapter on dress, not resolve against 
it;, pay your debts, or go and acknowledge them at least; cease 
to print such dawdle as Brother Bryant's church . holiness writ- 
ings ; seek for and get the Ho,ly Ghost again ; and lead the people 
up into the land. — Vanguard. 

Satanic forces were arrayed against the reformation 
work in every conceivable way, not only by mobs and 
undisguised, professional evil (though this form of attack 
was usually instigated by the sectarian element) , but also 
by deception — by teachers and editors who were appar- 
ently right on some main question in order to deceive, but 
wrong on some other vital points. A writer in the Trum- 
pet points out one of these destructive agencies. 
A DESTRUCTIVE HERESY 
By D. W. M'Laughlin 

There is an eternal antagonism between true holiness and fanati- 
cism in all its phases, and the individual possessed of the fulness 



THE CRISIS 287 

of the Holy Ghost will be able to detect fanaticism in others 
whether it be in outward act or deportment or in the more subtle 
form of heretical teaching. The Spirit and the Word agree, and 
the Holy Spirit moves and works in harmony with the written 
Word and never contrary thereto. 

The writer has been receiving from time to time during the last 
four years copies of the Stumbling Stone, and while much truth 
is found in its columns as to the evils of sect divisions, the de- 
structive heresy of Count Zinzendorf (that sanctification is not 
subsequent to regeneration) is held with inveterate opposition 
to the gospel order. Consequently, from this standpoint, the holi- 
ness movement is of the devil, and the second-grace Christians 
are in need of the first grace. The Stumbling Stone seems to at- 
tack every movement extant, even to the Salvation Army, as well 
as all holiness associations and bands for the promotion of entire 
sanctification. Even the position of the Gospel Trumpet he calls 
a holiness schism, because the editor makes a distinction between 
justified and sanctified believers. And he proposes to "kick 
Brother Warner's justification cobhouse into pi/' by which he 
exhibits his ignorance of the real plan of salvation. He might 
as well talk of kicking God's Word into pi as to overthrow the 
two distinct works of grace, justification and sanctification. . . . 

By the above and similar remarks the Stumbling Stone editor 
reveals the antagonism in his heart to the "second grace" in the 
Bible economy of salvation. Now, my honest conviction is that 
a come-outism that sets itself squarely against holiness as a defi- 
nite experience subsequent to pardon, is surely of the devil. It 
is a fact that wholly saved souls who are spiritual and discerning 
men detect at once the carnality in such persons, and, quite natu- 
rally, are led to conclude that "if such spirits are the fruits of 
come-outism I will have nothing to do with it." Thus, this 
spurious antiholiness come-outism is a snare of Satan to deter 
honest souls from separating from sectism, leaving them under the 
pressure of unholy corporations, which often results in compromise 
and the loss of the Spirit of God. A come-outism that sets itself 
to fighting the sects in a vindictive spirit, condemning and un- 
christianizing all who do not at once come out, can not be of 
God. Let us lead the children of God to the true apostolic unity, 
but never attempt to drive them out of Babylon; and, above all 
things, let us keep sweet and deal kindly with persons who, under 



288 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the blinding influence of sectarian education, can not yet see the 
sin of sects, and the true church of God. 

Sound teaching, in connection with the come-out movement, 
is of the utmost importance. False doctrinal theories and extra- 
vagant notions cause untold disaster to the cause we repre- 
sent. . . . 

In the issue of May 1 , 1 883, when the Trumpet was 
yet printed at Cardington, Ohio, Brother Warner speaks 
of how the cause was sifted at that place. 

SALT IN CARDINGTON 

God's cause has passed through a terrible sifting in this place. 
All the powers of darkness and of Satan's hellish rage have been 
let loose upon the few loyal, holy little ones here. Wicked sect 
members have boasted that this cause was crushed out. One 
Methodist son of Belial, steeped in tobacco and the poison smoke 
of his torment, has even boasted through the secular press that 
he had succeeded in putting down holiness. A Quaker preacher 
and family have let their tongues run with the base, vulgar, and 
profane of the place in speaking against this way. But bless God, 
the devil is sadly mistaken. Several souls have recently become 
established, unblameable in holiness. The Lord is with us in 
power, the hidden ones have four meetings every week, and God 
is wonderfully blessing us. 

In the chapter on the Gospel Trumpet we have already 
referred to the trying ordeal through which Brothel- 
Warner had to pass while the Publishing Office was in 
Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1883. A general assembly of the 
saints in Ohio was announced to be held on Friday, 
November 9. The place was Annapolis (now called 
Sulphur Springs), seven miles northeast of Bucyrus. In 
Brother Warner's call to this first general assembly in 
Ohio he wrote as follows : 

We expect to see a large turnout of the saints of the living 
God from Van Wert, Paulding, and Wood Counties, and some 
from eastern Ohio; and come ye, dear ones, from Pennsylvania. 
Come, ye sanctified hosts ,of the Lord! Let us eat together in 
the name of our Chief Shepherd and only Head and Leader. 



THE CRISIS 289 

Come in the power of the Spirit; come to have the spiritual 
gifts stirred up and strengthened; come to sharpen each other as 
iron sharpeneth iron and to/ have the faith once delivered to the 
saints developed in us up to the Bible standard; come to make a 
more perfect consecration. Come, ye lame and halt and blind 
and deaf, for the power of the Lord will be present to heal all 
who believe on him. Come, ye sufferers, and give yourselves 
up to the mighty God and be made whole. Come, poor sinners, 
and be saved in the day 1 of his power. Come, ye poor and 
wayward Christians, and have your hearts established unblame- 
able in holiness. Come, ye who are in bondage of sect captivity, 
and learn your way out of the wilderness unto the city that is 
set upon a hill, which hath foundations, and whose builder and 
maker is God. Come from far and near, whoever seeks the old 
paths and the peace of Jerusalem. Come, for the little ones will 
make you welcome; yea, the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and 
whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. 

Little did he realize, when giving this invitation and 
bold promise of such benefit to all who should have any 
need of the divine favor, that Satan would come also 
with various forms of deception and attempt to divert 
the reformation movement into false channels and to so 
confuse the truth with clouds of error and fanaticism that 
men may not see it. 

The meeting began on Friday evening at Conlay 
Bethel, some distance in the country from Bucyrus. 
Saturday, the second day, was appointed a fast day. 
The first conflict came with some elements of fanaticism 
manifested by three men from Van Wert and Paulding 
Counties, who believed it wrong to wear collars, collar 
buttons, lace, eye-glasses, etc., and confessed that they 
came to the meeting purposely to make Brother Warner 
and the other saints take off these things. They were a 
great interruption of the meeting until Brother Warner 
finally rebuked them. After this they feigned great 
humility. They prostrated themselves on three sides of the 



290 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

table behind which Brother Warner was preaching, and 
would moan and groan during his discourse. 

On Saturday evening the meeting was moved to the 
hall at Annapolis. Here another element was met. 
L. H. Johnson, who published in Toledo a paper called 

the Stumbling Stone, had arrived and even before the 
evening service began had mounted a wagon and begun 
to teach his false doctrine. He rejected the New Testa- 
ment ordinances and also opposed sanctification as a 
second work of grace, though he was also on the anti- 
sectarian line. He was very bold to break in on the 
meeting with his harangue against the true way, which 
he did particularly on Sunday. On Sunday evening the 
saints, wishing to get away from the confusing and delu- 
sive elements, withdrew to a private house where they 
felt they had escaped from the atmosphere impregnated 
with devils, and where the meeting continued victoriously 
all night — until 5 A. M. On the next day, Monday, at 
1 P. M. the meeting was held at another private house. 
This time the deceiving elements appeared and under- 
took to get the upper hand. The saints, being forbidden 
in the Scriptures to have any fellowship with devils, with- 
drew to another room, where the meeting progressed 
peacefully. One sister ventured to stay in the room 
occupied by the false teachers. She was suddenly seized 
by the awful powers of darkness and she felt she was lost. 
To a sister who came to her she said, "Oh, I feel so bad; 
take me to the altar!" She was led to the saints' apart- 
ment, where she bowed at the altar and soon began to 
manifest a frightful appearance. She jerked and cried, 
"I have a devil; stay away from me!" Her face 
blackened and twitched with frightful contortions, her 
eyes glared, her tongue darted out like a serpent's, and 
when any one approached her, she would spit and claw 



THE CRISIS 291 

furiously. Hands were laid on her and she was instantly 
delivered and clothed in her right mind. 

This was but one of the many remarkable manifesta- 
tions. The meeting ended on Tuesday evening, and on 
the whole with victory on God's side, but it had been a 
trying time indeed. Brother Warner devoted a whole 
page of the Trumpet to the report of this Assembly. 
We quote the beginning of the report: 

We have never been called upon to portray any meeting that 
so transcends our powers of description. We can now better 
understand the language of John when he said that "if all the 
works of Christ had been) written, I suppose the world could not 
contain the books." A full account of the meeting would make 
quite a volume. For some time we felt that the meeting would 
be one of unusual interest. As we received intelligence of the 
saints' coming from time to time, the Spirit of God was poured 
upon our soul, insomuch that we could not restrain the praises 
of God as we walked the streets. And their coming was as the 
heavens bowed to earth. Our little habitation was thronged most 
of the day on Friday, and in the evening we all went to the 
Conlay Bethel, where the meeting began. Since the first assembly 
in Michigan, where Satan was also loosed and a terrible conflict 
ensued, resulting in his being cast out, all the meetings of the 
sanctified and free saints of God that we have attended have been 
blessed with great unity and peace ; and as there were such a host 
coming to this assembly, all of which we knew were of one mind 
and one heart in the truth and Spirit of Christ, and most of whom 
had never met before, we looked for a meeting that would be a 
sample of the reign of heaven. How apt we are to forget that 
we are still in the field of battle, and that Satan is now loosed for 
a little season, having great wrath because he knows his time is 
short! In the very first meeting we felt that Satan had also 
gathered his angels together where the sons of God came to wor- 
ship the God of the Bible (Job. 1:6). 

Certain of the brethren and sisters had been previously 
shown by visions some of the things that occurred at this 
meeting. The Lord was on the side of his saints and 
vindicated the righteousness of his cause by manifesting 



292 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

himself in their meetings as well as to their spiritual con- 
sciousness. Outwardly, of course, the meeting bore an 
aspect of confusion; but Brother Warner learned to see 
the good in everything. Referring, at a later date, to 
this assembly, he said: 

This providential bringing together of the children of light and 
the powers of darkness has proved a great blessing to the saints 
in that it has clearly brought to light which side men occupy. 

The Bucyrus assembly was but one engagement with 
the forces that at this time had gathered to oppose and 
overthrow the reformation work which Brother Warner 
and the Trumpet had begun. Other instruments were to 
figure in the struggle, and another terrific battle was soon 
to follow. There were two prominent holiness teachers 
who were not in sympathy with Brother Warner's position 
regarding sects. They opposed the coming out from 
denominationalism. R. S. Stockwell was a young min- 
ister who had helped in the meetings and who had been 
loved and respected by both Brother Warner and Sister 
Warner, but had become exalted in himself and deceived, 
and had sprung a very pernicious doctrine, the doctrine 
of marital celibacy. He held that the sex relation was 
carnal; that when a person was fully cleansed, the love 
for a husband or wife was no more than the love for 
any one else ; especially, that if a husband and wife were 
not in harmony it would be wrong for them to maintain 
the conjugal relation or be to each other anything more 
than to any one else; and that they would have more 
love for others with whom they were in harmony than for 
their own companion, etc. The attainment along this 
line was an advanced experience, a sort of third work of 
grace. 

Sister Warner was a splendid woman and had been 
a faithful companion to her husband. She had borne 



THE CRISIS 293 

her part well in the arduous duties of their evangelical 
career. But there had come in some disorder that had 
begun to affect their fellowship. Brother Warner men- 
tions it thus in his "Meditations." 

First there appeared mysteriously withal, 
Some leprous spots on our domestic wall. 
The plague soon marred our holy fellowship, 
Then ate like moth the threads of love that knit 
Our hearts and souls in sweet connubial bliss, 
And made us one in sympathetic flesh. 

It is probable that this would have been but temporary 
had not deceiving forces combined to turn her mind and 
estrange her from her husband. She came from a well- 
to-do family, and it is possible that the contrast of a life 
more or less destitute of physical comfort had some weight 
with her at this time and made her susceptible to the 
suggestion that perhaps the Trumpet could be more suc- 
cessfully managed in the hands of some one else. There 
were those who were desirous of taking it over and had 
the means to invest in it. Under Stockwell's instruction 
she endeavored to consecrate for the "third work,'* and 
under his enamoring influence the enemy took advantage 
of her state of mind, and she came into affinity with 
spirits that antagonized the work that the Lord had been 
accomplishing through her and her husband. Once in 
the hands of these enemies, the "flying roll," which had 
begun to carry messages of salvation to thousands, would 
of course have to cease its mission. A league of babel 
spirits, though dissimilar in character, comprising free- 
love, antiordinance, anti-second-work, and anti-come-out 
elements, had united against Brother Warner. 

In a meeting at a private house in Bucyrus, Stockwell, 
who had begun to assume a papal-like authority, gave 
those assembled about an hour's harangue, which was 
like a gathering storm about to break on Brother Warner. 



294 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

There were peculiar manifestations at this meeting. On 
a lounge lay a woman of frightful appearance, her face 
drawn, her eyes sunken, and she was uttering moans. 
Another, a man with distorted limbs and scowling coun- 
tenance, also gave evidence of an attack upon his body 
by some supernatural power. It was claimed by Stock- 
well that these were divine evidences that some one 
needed to be set right; just who, the Lord would make 
known. Each began to say, "Lord, is it I?" Brother 
Warner had been asking the Lord for wisdom and had 
been shown that after some trial of suffering he would 
be able to take God himself for his wisdom. Now, 
since his wife had taken sides with others who held that 
he was not right, and since he was ready to suspect him- 
self as being in error rather than his wife, he felt that 
possibly they were right in their contention that the error 
lay with him. In his intense eagerness to be right with 
God and have the blessing of fellowship restored in his 
family, he became a victim. He bowed before them 

A suppliant in that infernal maze, 
To evil spirits' much elated gaze. 

His critics gathered around him and waited with agon- 
izing groans while Stockwell pried into his consecration 
and asked whether he was willing to sell the Gospel 
Trumpet. They said they felt that such was God's will 
and that if he was not able to see it he should be wise and 
act upon their judgment, and that his soul would be 
blessed in so doing. Brother Warner consented, but 
reserved one condition — that should God, ere the trans- 
fer be made, interdict the order and show him differently, 
he of course would obey God. They said, "No, but 
that "if you must leave out." Finally he was persuaded 
to drop the if. Then the agonies of those who, it was 
claimed, were groaning for him, ceased and gave 



THE CRISIS 295 

place to fiendish laughter, as they supposed God's "flying 
roll" was taken. This was the crisis that had come upon 
his soul; this the price he had to pay for a decision to 
preach uncompromisingly the truth that should create a 
shudder in the ranks of hell and work a reformation in 
the world. Opposing forces had succeeded in getting 
him to consent to give up the Trumpet and yield to the 
suggestion that he was not right. 

But the promised blessings did not come to his soul; 
on the contrary he was plunged into spiritual darkness. 
He had weakened and given over his sacred trust. What 
a night of suffering followed! Only with the morning 
that swept away the horrors of night came a spiritual 
illumination and consequent victory. His very disappoint- 
ment had brought reason to its throne and changed the 
aspect of the situation. And the Lord broke the satanic 
spell, filled his soul with peace, and enlightened his 
understanding as to the devilish powers that had been 
seeking to crush his soul. He went to the little publish- 
ing office, bowed in thankfulness, renewed his covenant, 
and was swallowed up completely in God once more. 
He then felt that he could henceforth take the Lord for 
his wisdom against all the suggestions of men or devils 
transformed as angels of light. 

But now he began to realize that his trueness to God 
would mean the sacrifice of his own bosom companion. 
This, then, should be the lingering phase of his sorrow. 
For about one week the battle alternated between victory 
and the attacks of hell. Morning would bring apparent 
release, and Satan's hosts would flee, only to renew the 
conflict when the shadows of evening gathered around 
him. His strength wore away. He prayed that he 
might be comforted by some friend, if one were left. 
There was a brother, a John N. Slagle, whom God had 



296 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

reserved and who had expressed to Brother Warner a 
forewarning of some trouble. This brother came to him 
and took him to his home, seven miles in the country, 
where was enjoyed a sweet sleep and a respite from the 
storm's rage. The poem Meditations on the Prairie, is 
very touching in its description of these experiences. 
What this humble servant of God had to pass through in 
this trying ordeal only One can know. In one long 
sleepless night of parching fever and inward pain a por- 
tion of his hair suddenly turned grey. What wonder 
that the Trumpet during this period was sometimes late 
in reaching its readers or that for four months it failed 
to appear at all ! 

With repeated endeavor Brother Warner tried to win 
back his alien wife. They had one child, a boy of three 
years. He had fears that he should have to be separated 
from the child also; but it seemed the mother's affection 
for both husband and child had forever flown. She wrote 
her husband that he could come and get the child for 
aught she cared. 

The train that bore us onward to that son 

Seemed slow that day, so very slow to run. 

We met, and lo, upon his little face 

Aj famine of parental love we trace. 

Three days we tarried there in strong appeal 

That God would make that' woman's heart to feel 

One touch of love, yea, but one precious beam 

Of fond affection where a living stream 

Once issued forth to bless our happy home, 

But now, alas, congealed in icy zone. 

In vain was wished one moment's private talk; 
At last 'twas begged that we together walk 
Outside the city, where repose the dead, 
In silence slumb'ring* in their narrow bed, 
And where, between two virgal evergreens, 
A little mound more dear than any seems: 
The grave of our Le villa Modest child, 
On whose sweet brow but three bright summers smiled. 
She Wfcs her mother's idol and firstborn, 
Her childish virtues memory still adorn. 
But thisi request she coolly yet declined, 
As if no love to living or dead remained. 




John N. Slagle, befriender of D. S. Warner 




Sidney, only living child of D. S. Warner 



THE CRISIS 297 

Then, taking that one warm and little hand, 
We slowly walked to where cold marbles stand. 
Dear Sidney chatted merrily on the way 
Not knowing 1 what within our bosom lay: 
'Twas hard to answer to his prattling words 
With but the tearful tribute grief affords. 
Poor child! God bless him! We devoutly pray 
He ne 'er may feel what father felt that day. 

We came to where there had been laid to rest 
The form, now cold, that we had known was blessed 
To hold a pure and lovely spirit-bud 
That went to blossom in the home of God. 
And there beside the foot of that small mound 
We knelt in prayer upon the turfy ground. 
Dear Sidney — bless the child — remembering how 
In family worship he was wont to bow 
Close to our side in sweet becoming grace, 
He gently came and! now resumed his place. 
His tender heart beat with devotion there 
As soft his name was breathed in fervent prayer. 

But oh, that hour! what deep emotions rose!, 
No earthly language could our heart disclose. 
For our child's dear sake some feeble words were used, 
But they failed to carry what was inward mused. 
Oh! how our heart longed for the poet's flight 
To sing relief to deep affection's blight. 
When touched emotions rise like a swelling flood 
And merge the soul, oh! it is then we would 
That some kind angel could but lend his harp 
To start the flowing of a surcharged heart. 
But mundane language gave no wings to thought; 
Our feelings could in tears alone flow out. 

Brother Warner endeavored to regard this alienation 
of his wife as Providential. He took it all for good and 
felt that by it he would experience all the more of 
Heaven's riches in his soul. 

Through the kindness of a brother who happened to 
have a copy of the Christian Harvester of May 1 , 1 884, 
we are able to give to the readers the article by Mrs. 
Warner in which she renounced the movement which 
she brands Come-outism. 

COME-OUTISM RENOUNCED 
The following communication pretty fully explains itself. It 
was written by Sister Warner, the wife of D. S. Warner, the 
Come-out leader, and editor of the Gospel Trumpet. Those who 



298 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

know Sister W. generally, among the straight holiness people, 
have confidence in her integrity. God bless her, and may she 
save her husband from his strong delusions. She desires the 
holiness papers to copy her article: 

Dear Brother Doty: My soul praises God today for a perfect 
salvation in Jesus. He sweetly abides in my heart, and I do 
know that his Word is true. His promises to save from all sin 
and keep in perfect peace are most wonderfully verified in my 
case; praise his nameli Salvation is sweeter to my soul every 
day I live. 

"And how sweetly Jesus whispers, 

Take the cross, thou needst not fear; 
For I've trod this way before thee, 
And the glory lingers near." 

Yea, praise God for the cross, and the glory that always fol- 
lows. 

I feel it my duty to say to all God's children, that he has 
opened my eyes to see the evils of come-outism. I am free from 
it, and forever renounce it and praise God that he has so com- 
pletely delivered me from the( spirit of it. I am thoroughly con- 
vinced that this effort to unite God's people by calling them out 
of the churches is not God's plan of unity. It simply cuts off a 
few members by themselves, who get an idea that none are clearly 
sanctified unless they see as "we" do; and, then, they have a 
harsh grating that is the very opposite of love. I have found that 
the predominant spirit of the come-out movement is the same self- 
righteous, pharisaical spirit that Christ rebuked when he was here 
on earth. They hold and teach that no one can be entirely sanc- 
tified and belong to a "sect." 

It is not necessary for me to speak of the fanaticism and ab- 
surdities connected with this movement; but I am not at all sur- 
prized to hear of men losing their minds after passing through 
such a meeting as the assembly at Sulphur Springs last November. 
I have seen more Babylon confusion outside the churches than in. 
I know whereof I speak, for I have been connected with the 
movement from its beginning, and, as you all know, at the very 
head of it. And while I believe it my duty before God to re- 
nounce it, and stand aloof from it, I have all charity for those 
connected with it. I am confident that I have nothing in my 
heart but love toward them all, and love to my husband; nor do 
I reject him, but I can not endorse either the movement or its 
organ, the Gospel Trumpet. I must obey God, and walk in the 



THE CRISIS 299 

light he has given me, or forfeit salvation, which I can not afford 
to do. I have suffered the loss of all things, but rejoice to know 
that I am counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' sake. 

In taking this step for God I have not been hasty. I have 
been convicted of this duty for some time. Circumstances and 
the manifestations of the spirit of this movement have been such 
for several months past that I fear further delay on my part 
would be disastrous to the cause of Christ and my own soul. I 
humbly ask the prayers of all God's children that he will keep 
me firm and sweet while passing through the furnace. 

Mrs. S. A. Warner. 

Upper Sandusky, Ohio, Apr. 22, 1884. 

Brother Warner deplored his wife's going into print 
with their trouble. A number of the so-called holiness 
papers made remarks that were reflective on Brother War- 
ner and the cause of truth. On account of this, he felt 
it necessary to make some reply in the Trumpet and set 
forth the facts concerning his wife. In the issue of July 
15, 1884, he made a very clear delineation of the whole 
affair. He showed the sad deception into which his wife 
had fallen, how it had affected her conduct, and hardened 
her conscience to do things she was never known to do 
before, even to being untruthful, and yet publish her 
testimony abroad that she was more sweetly saved than 
ever. Near the close he says : 

And this is the kind of holiness the sectarian sheets have such 
a jubilee over. This work of the devil which has at present 
broken up a family, brought a reproach upon the cause of holi- 
ness, robbed us of our sweet child for over three months past, and 
which has filled all hell with a jubilee, the Highway of Holiness 
says "should be received with thankfulness." Yes, it is received 
in hell with thankfulness, and just to the extent that Babylon 
glories in the same she proves that she is in league with hell. 

While our heart is sad for the sake of our dear companion, we 
have great reason to give everlasting thanks to God for the glori- 
ous fruits of these furnace flames. Oh, how our weaknesses 
have been searched out and our patience perfected! 



300 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

We would not cast away the gold 
We've gathered in the furnace name, 

Nor would we wish again the dross 
Here purged in our Eedeemer's name. 

In the Trumpet of July 1 , 1 884, a quotation is made 
from the writings of John Bunyan in which are recalled 
the persecutions that culminated in his imprisonment. He 
tells of how Satan, failing in one plan to overthrow his 
work and make it ineffectual, tries another, which was to 
stir up the minds of the ignorant and malicious to load him 
with slanders and reproaches, and finally to have him ar- 
raigned and put in jail. With this quotation Brother 
Warner makes the following comparison : 

In all these sufferings Bunyan had, besides the grace of God, 
the consolations of a true wife to sustain and comfort him. 
With his great heart glowing with love for the truth, and deep 
affection for her that had been such a true friend in the past, 
just suppose for a moment the devil had in the time of his great- 
est persecution from sectarian idolaters, overthrown his faithful 
Elizabeth, and so blinded and deceived her as to make it appear 
her duty to renounce him and the truth he was devoted to, in all 
the papers of that day, Suppose he had found her all at once 
fellowshiping his persecutors and slanderers, and receiving the 
friendship and applause of the popular sects of that time, rather 
than suffering persecution with her husband for Christ's sake; 
do you not believe that such a trial would have more cruelly 
"pulled the flesh from his bones" than twelve years' imprisonment 
with a good and faithful wife at home sharing his reproach and 
offering her daily prayers to God on his behalf? 

Of course the woman could not have published any sin of the 
man of God, nor would it have been necessary. All that she 
would have needed to do would have been to renounce him and 
the "come-out movement" that he was engaged in under God, 
and remind them that she "had been connected with the move- 
ment from its beginning, as you all know, and at the very head 
of it," and then throw out a few hints that she had "suffered" 
a great many things, and that "circumstances and the manifesta- 
tion of the spirit of this movement have been such for several 
months past that I fear further delay on my part would be dis- 



THE CRISIS 301 

astrous to the cause of Christ and my own soul." This were suf- 
ficient to confirm all the vile slanders that Satan had sent out 
against her husband, with all who hated the truth he taught. Oh, 
yes, that would settle the matter. Yes, yes, you know all the ter- 
rible things that are reported of this awfully deluded man, and 
now his wife comes out against him, which proves that these 
things are true. And if the devil were as smart then as he is 
now, he would have led the poor apostate guilty woman to put on 
a very lovely aspect in her public comforters, to the idolaters of 
those times, in order to have the more influence. Yea, doubtless, 
while selling her husband to the devil for the friendship of his 
enemies, and selling Christ, whose truth he dared to speak, she 
would have hypocritically said, "I love my husband/' and "Jesus 
sweetly abides in my heart." Oh, what a record the day of 
judgment will unfold! But God be praised that Bunyan was 
blessed with a true companion ; but let him whose lot is otherwise 
"bind this to him as an ornament," as Bunyan did the vile 
slanders heaped upon him. 

After a few years there appeared in the Trumpet, in 
the issue of Jan. 7, 1892, the following statement, from 
a person who knew Mrs. Warner from her youth and who 
here speaks of her divorce and remarriage : 

Nothing has ever been more surprizing to me than the steps 
she has taken. It may not be generally known that she got a 
bill through the court at Upper Sandusky, Ohio. The grounds 
upon which she filed her complaint betray a dreadful absence of 
conscience and the fear of God, stating that she had "been a 
faithful wife to him ever since married," and that "he had been 
wilfuly absent from her for over three years"; when the facts are, 
she had wilfully abandoned him over six years before, during 
which time he twice visited her and wrote many letters kindly 
urging her to return and that without any conditions. And she 
was so far from being a faithful wife that she did not even an- 
swer his letters. 

Brother Warner did not feel led to appear against her, but 
faithfully admonished her for her soul's sake not to put on record 
in the county court and the high court of heaven statements that 
she knew to be so directly opposite to the truth. And, worse yet, 
the woman has recently shown her disregard for the counsel of 



302 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the Bible by marrying another man.* We insisted that these 
few words of explanation be published to cut off all occasion for 
unreasonable men to speak against the cause of Christ and against 
his servant.. — E. J. Hill. 

In the Trumpet of June 1, 1893, an editorial speaks 
of her death, as follows: 

While holding meetings in Portland, Ind. on Wednesday, May 
24, we were informed that there was a telegram at the office for 
us. On going there we were startled with this brief dispatch: 
"Sarah died this morning in Cincinnati. Signed, L. F. Keller." 

He is a brother of the one we ought to be able to call our 
wife, and this fact rendered the familiar name "Sarah" all suf- 
ficient in the dispatch. my Lord, is it possible that she is cut 
off in the midst of her days! She who seemed so fresh and well 
is suddenly called to be the first to break the circle of six children, 
all of whom were early instructed in the fear of the Lord. Ah, 
we can not help the conviction that had the dear woman never 
been alienated by the adversary to break her solemn vows, and 
held by a blind and erring influence from returning to the obliga- 
tions of a mother and wife, yea, and had she not been by that 
influence led to obtain a bill, and that on absolutely false grounds, 
she would be alive, well, and happy today. But alas, all is past 
now. . . . 

We wrote immediately to our friend who had kindly informed 
us of the departure of the one who once so filled the vision of 
our heart, for the particulars of her death, and received a prompt 
reply that she died with acute typhoid fever, to which was added 
peritonitis, and that she did not express herself about the future. 

*Once after her second marriage, while living in Cincinnati, she 
wrote a letter to her boy, Sidney, whdi was in the care of his 
father. Brother Warner had been to visit her twice since their 
separation, and he was constrained to go again. So he took the boy 
and went to the city address as given in her letter. She happened 
not to be at the house just then. So the two walked about lei- 
surely until she! should return. While on the opposite side of the 
street from her house they saw her returning. She reached the 
house first and entered the hall and stood waiting for them. When 
they reached the door she railed out in terrible abuse on her former 
husband. That was his only reception. He had on his former 
visits to her felt the Spirit dictating that there was no hope of a 
reconciliation; and likewise on this occasion, as his child clung 
the closer to him, the Spirit said, "It is enough; leave off thy fond 
pursuit. ' ' 



THE CRISIS 303 

Out ^f a full heart we would love to say much, but we have 
space only for these thoughts. May God comfort the sorrow- 
ing mother, brothers, and sisters. 

The unhappy woman, having forsaken her God, her husband, 
and child, became married over a year ago to another man. But 
alas, how often the path that leads from God is cut short! 

As to what became of Stockwell, the author has found 
no trace. When Brother Warner recovered his spiritual 
poise, after the terrible conflict at Bucyrus, he renounced 
Stockwell, and the latter at once dropped all profession. 

An incident that occurred at Medina, Ohio, before 
Stockwell's defection, gave Brother Warner some trouble. 
A Mrs. Booth had had a vision in which she saw herself 
caught up with a thousand-dollar note. Stockwell, who 
was at that time apparently in sympathy with the Trum- 
pet, interpreted her vision to her as meaning that she 
should give the one thousand dollars to the Trumpet. She 
then decided to do so and threw the money into the lap of 
Sister Warner, who refused to accept it. Stockwell then 
said he would take it, which he did, and with it paid off 
the debt against the Trumpet office. After this was done, 
Mrs. Booth came to Brother Warner one day in company 
with an attorney for the purpose of recovering the money, 
whereupon Brother Warner adjusted the matter by mort- 
gaging the Trumpet equipment for one half the amount 
and giving a note for the balance. The report got out in 
some manner that he had fraudulently taken the money 
from Mrs. Booth. In explanation he speaks of the matter 
as follows: 

We feel rather like treating with silent contempt the wicked 
aspersions that have gone through many papers, secular and re- 
ligious, against our character; but as friends demand it of us we 
will just say that the report that we fraudulently took from a Mrs. 
Booth a thousand dollars by mesmeric influences is wholly and 
basely false. If we have been correctly informed, it was fabri- 
cated by a lying infidel in Bucyrus and furnished to a Cincinnati 



304 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Enquirer reporter by him. That paper, after consulting more re- 
liable parties in Bucyrus, on the 15th of last February published 
an article refuting all the reflections that had been cast upon us. 
The Church Advocate, having published the Enquirer's slanders, 
also took back the charges against us. The fact is, we never 
had any hand in obtaining that money. We were at our home 
and knew not that the woman had a thousand dollars or any 
money at all, until a letter was sent me stating she had given the 
same. We also have letters from her stating that she had cheer- 
fully and deliberately given the money; that God had called her 
to do so and that she did not regret the step she had taken. 
But subsequently she fell through the opposition of her husband 
and Satan, and we gave security for the money because it was 
demanded, though we were under no legal or moral obligation 
to do so. 

One can imagine that during his severe trial at Bucyrus 
Brother Warner felt very much forsaken. But God had 
many others who were ready to stand with him. There 
were those who were solicitous with reference to his wel- 
fare. In one of the issues of the Trumpet we find this 
little note: 

A brother writes thus, inquiring of us, "0 Daniel! is thy God 
continually able to deliver thee?" Through the amazing grace of 
God we are able to answer from the lion's den and from the 
seven-times-heated furnace, Yes. Glory to the God of our salva- 
tion, he keeps our soul above the world, the flesh, and the devil, 
and from all sin. He keeps us from these two opposite regions 
of death, namely, the cold, hard-hearted, grating, fruitless spirit 
of carnal sect-hatred on one side; and from the soft, spurious, 
self-soothing, carnality-pleasing, and sect-compromising, all-bogus 
love delusion on the other. God helping us we shall never move 
out of Mic. 3:8 and Psa. 149: 6-9. 

He received many letters from those who were sym- 
pathetic and who were thankful for the Trumpet. The 
following are a few: 

I am so glad to get the Gospel Trumpet. I think it is the best 
paper I ever read. It speaks the Bible truth. 

May the Lord bless you in the good work, and give you grace 
and strength to withstand all the fiery darts that Satan and his 



THE CRISIS 305 

hosts can hurl at you. God and Christ shall be for walls of salva- 
tion about you. Whom shall we fear when God is our friend? I 
am trusting in Jesus for a full and free salvation. 'Without 
holiness no man shall see God.' It does my soul good to read the 
testimonies of how God is healing both soul and body, I believe 
he is willing to manifest as much power on earth today as he 
did when Christ was here in the flesh. Your sister, saved through 
the blood, L. B. 

We are continually praising God for the way he is keeping 
you through every severe trial. When we understood the reality 
of your trials we all wept as if we had been at a funeral. How 
our hearts go out in sympathy for you! dear brother, hold on 
to God; he will not forsake those that trust in him. You must 
come to our camp-meeting without fail, for we know God wants 
you here; but the sect people are hoping you will not come. 
Your sister, M. J. F. 

May God reward you in your great work. Some good friend is 
sending me the Trumpet, and I do love to read it, because it has 
the right ring. It sounds as if it had been baptized! in the Holy 
Ghost and with fire. I never saw until I was baptized with the 
Holy Ghost the corruption of sectism. I am so glad that there 
are a few that do stand for Christ and him alone. Your brother, 

H. B. C. 

My prayer is that you may continue blowing the Trumpet, and 
that it may always give a clear and certain sound. I had a pretty 
sharp discussion with a minister today on the subject of sanctifi- 
cation. By the grace of God I was under the necessity of telling 
him that he was not a competent witness on the subject, having 
never received the experience. Oh, why will men attempt to 
explain and preach that of which they know nothing! May the 
God of all grace be continually your refuge and your exceeding 
great reward. M. M. 

That the Trumpet had the right ring was a fact recog- 
nized wherever there were spiritual Christians who had 
felt the oppression and seen the evils of human control 
in the so-called churches, and of course that meant in all 
parts of the country. There were many ready to fall in 
line with its teachings. Besides Beaver Dam, in Kos- 
ciusko County, Ind., and Carson City, in Michigan, as 
original centers, there had come to be congregations in 



306 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

other parts of the States named, and in Ohio, Pennsyl- 
vania, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and others. The refor- 
mation was in all places marked with spiritual vigor, en- 
thusiasm, joy, love, fellowship, confidence, and activity. 
People who came in contact with it and who were not 
already prejudiced by sectarianism, were made to feel, 
by a spiritual discernment, that "this is the way" and 
"these people have the truth." A spirit of victory per- 
vaded the work everywhere. God manifested himself by 
the outpouring of his Spirit and by miraculous healings 
and answers to prayer. 

A remarkable instance of healing occurred at the first 
camp-meeting held near Bangor, in southwestern Michi- 
gan, in June, 1 883. Emma Miller, who lived in Battle 
Creek, had been an invalid for nearly three years. Her 
eyes had become affected and she had to be led about. 
For nearly the whole period of three years (or, lacking 
one month) she had| not read a line of print. After her 
conversion, which occurred nine months previously to her 
healing, she was plainly shown by the Lord that she 
would be healed. On being invited to the camp-meeting 
she was again shown, in answer to her prayer, that she 
would be healed. She requested her friends to provide 
her with paper and envelopes, promising to write to them. 
In this confidence she went to the meeting. 

On the fourth morning of the meeting, after continued 
prayer had been offered, she was impressed she would be 
healed that day. Brother Warner had been called away 
from the meeting, but J. C. Fisher and others were pres- 
ent. Here was a case of blindness. Her eyes were cov- 
ered with a film and the lids were closed through pa- 
ralysis and she could not open them. But nothing daunted 
the little body of spiritual workers here assembled. Fast- 
ing and importunity characterized the earnest prayer. 



THE CRISIS 307 

About 5 P. M. of the day mentioned, while Sister Miller 
was seated on the rostrum, where she had been requested 
to sit that all might see, suddenly her eyes were opened 
and she gazed upon the audience and praised the Lord. 
The people were amazed. Some fell to shouting, which 
was heard two miles away. Others trembled and cried. 
After praising God for an hour or more Sister Miller went 
out into the bright sunlight without any unpleasant sensa- 
tion, the first time for nearly three years, and wrote two 
postal cards. Her eyes became bright and strong. Sis- 
ter Miller (now Mrs. A. B. Palmer) is still living and 
has had her sight ever since. 

Marvelous healings were common, but as this one was 
a healing of complete blindness and was one of the earli- 
est cases, it is here mentioned. Another divine manifesta- 
tion was the power given to the ministry over devils. 
Since the early centuries it has not been characteristic of 
any spiritual movement prior to this one, so far as the 
author has learned, that devils were in such subjection and 
had to come out of those possessed. 

By this time quite a force of ministers had been raised 
up in various portions of the country. Over in Missouri 
was a man named Jeremiah Cole, who had been led into 
the light independent of any human instrumentality. He 
had suffered from dyspepsia for twelve years; he had been 
so bad he could eat only specially prepared articles of 
food. He was instantaneously and wonderfully healed 
in answer to his own importuning prayer, so that he could 
eat all ordinary foods without discomfort. His own heal- 
ing led to the healing of his sister, Mary, who had been 
an invalid all her life. She began to have spasms at two 
years of age, and later dyspepsia and other ailments, un- 
til her life was one of continual suffering. Through her 
own prayer and that of her 1 brother, she also was led to 



308 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

claim her healing, and the work was done. Both of these 
persons became effective ministers in the reformation. 

In northwestern Ohio God had raised up several per- 
sons (among whom were A. J. Kilpatrick, William N. 
Smith, J. N. Howard, and Sarah Smith) who also be- 
came prominent workers. In western Pennsylvania was 
G. T. Clayton, and in yet other parts of the country, far 
and near, were those who had received light on the church, 
in some cases without any teaching from any one, and who 
were by the Spirit of God added to the ministry. 

APOSTASY OF FISHER 
A sad defection from the ranks of those who had been 
active in the reformation work was that of J. C. Fisher, 
which has been already referred to. He was a very ef- 
fectual preacher. It was through his efforts that the origi- 
nal company was raised up at Carson City, Mich., where 
he lived at the time. Also it was through his instrumen- 
tality that the work was started in southwestern Michigan 
and in some other parts of the country. Through a lack 
of his consecration, sad to say, he became unfaithful in 
his marriage relation and found affinity with another. 
After being patiently and faithfully counseled by Brother 
Warner and others, and after it became evident that he 
was rejecting all admonitions, and in fact had married 
another woman, he had to be renounced and cut off from 
the fellowship of the saints. 

This was a distinct loss to the cause, for Fisher had 
been a very successful evangelist, and had a great influ- 
ence. His error, however, was plain, and there were 
scarcely any who were sufficiently in sympathy with his 
actions to be to any extent drawn away with him. 

As a part of this chapter, we wish to include an article 
from one of the earlier Trumpets, written by a contributor, 
which touches the central principle of the reformation, 



THE CRISIS 309 

the principle which distinguishes it from all other move- 
ments. It is on this line, the ruling authority of the Holy 
Ghost, that the reformation proceeds. 

RULING AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY GHOST 
By D. W. M'Laughlin 

Notwithstanding the apostasy of the R,omish Church, her utter 
departure from the faith because of the substitution of a man- 
made system of ecclesiasticism for the personal presence and 
authority of the Holy Ghost, Protestants have not profited (but in 
part) by her fall; they have very generally fallen into a like 
snare. 

The apostolic church fully recognized the personal presence 
and authority of the Holy Ghost. He was fully accepted as their 
teacher and guide. They fully embraced the words of Jesus: 
"When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all 
truth" — yea, "teach you all things," even the "deep things" of 
God. Hence, we hear Peter saying unto Ananias, "Why hath 
Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" The presence 
of the divine Spirit was to them a certainty. 

In Acts 13:2 we read, "As they ministered to the Lord, and 
fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for 
the work whereunto I have called them." Here the authority of 
the Holy Ghost is recognized. Thus we see that the early church 
needed no man-made system; being filled with the Holy Ghost 
they fully accepted him as their teacher and guide. But in pro- 
cess of time the church lost her primitive power; the presence of 
the Holy Ghost seemed less real. The necessity of a teacher and 
guide was felt; hence the absence of the Holy Ghost necessitated 
the substitution of another teacher and guide, a "dead ecclesias- 
ticism," called the Holy Catholic Church (?), with the prerogative 
of the divine Spirit — thus priesthood was exalted and invested 
with power to forgive sins; and the pope made the "visible head 
of the church," or the vicar of Jesus Christ upon earth. But the 
church felt the need of an "infallible teacher";; the loss of the 
divine Paraclete necessitated a substitution, if the resemblance 
of the apostolic church be maintained; hence the system must 
supply the lack. Thus the dogma of infallibility was conceived, 
ending in the exaltation of the pope of Rome above all that is 
called God, or that is worshiped — the "man of sin" "sitting in 
the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." 



BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 



.-—/ ~iz--iir r/::?— :: e-: : ri.ii..::?- ~uj: -e:e5M:uy ;e 
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up ::f :•<•- ::£e: = .-£ = u-_i:r.:y. 

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:: •.••::£: .:.e :::— :: :e.:g::z :i£ei :ue z.izz :: v-.uil 
r-: clues;. 1.-.1 lue :e::.e «::- :: :.:- / z :: z:\zi :ui: :ue:e :; 
y : . H : : : , 1,: ; : 

It is said history repeats itself; let as consider what 
die cry of "fanatic" now so prevalent in the sects as used 
the holiness movement. Perhaps we may learn a lesson from 

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5.--.; zeMUic :ji e : e 2i£ i-eei :.:;:::.::: : •••■:: e-: :_" eu: e;:i~ 
ticism (a man-made system) for the pre s en ce and authority of 
the personal Holy Ghost; a lifeless system — yea, a dead ecdesias- 
tidsm was thought to be the one holy catholic church. It was 
-:: L.rwec :_£ = : i~y ::u_£ re .:yi_ :: H:£ unless .:yi- ::■ ice 
system, hence the cry of "heretic, 9 * which today finds its 
erpart in the term "holiness fanatic** as used by the 
sects against holiness men. In their devotion to churchism they 
.::z y.zr.: :: :lie zersrzi. r.:.y Zs.zr.. iz£ em.: :..-.e r/r.z~. 3 e 
most go back to apostolic ground; the pre se nce and power of 
the Holy Ghost must mark (or make manifest) the church. The 
Mmdmg power of churchism wifl deceive nominal professors in 
:-e ?:::e;:iu: s e ; 5 ;us: if e£e::ui y 15 :: £;£ :r. :l-.e ?.:-:.: 
Church, b is eternally true that die natural man percexveth not 
die things of the Spirit of God. The great Sanhedrin judged it 
:.zr.: :m: ,e;u; Chris:. :i.e L::£ ::' z. :.-.-. y.crec :: :e 1 • :.z re- 
ceiver, should be crucified between two thieves; the Romish 
Church e on si d pie d it right to burn "heretics**; and in all ages the 
mystic Babylon of Revelation has persecuted die true saints of 
Cm 

Thus it will be tuT the time of the end. 

ii-iz ::~ :™'?.:h 

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THE CRISIS 311 

One the object of our journey, 

One the faith that never tire?. 
One the earnest looking forward. 

One the hope our God inspires. 

One the strain that lips of thousands 

Lift as from the heart of one; 
One the conflict, one the peril, 

One the march in God begun. 

One the gladness of rejoicing 

On the far eternal shore, 
Where the cne Almighty Father 

Keigns in love forevermore. 

Onward therefore, pilgrim brothers, 

Onward with the Cross our aid! 
Bear its shame, and fight its battle, 

Till we rest beneath its shade. 

— Sabine Baring-Gould. 



D. S. Warner. 



Perishing Souls. 



A. L. Byebs. 




U 



1. Per-ish-ing souls at stake to-day ! Says the banner of Christ unfurled ; Pleading in 

2. Per-ish-ing souls atstake we see, Yet the Sav-ior has died for all; Go andin- 

3. Per-ish-ing souls at stake, go tell What the Savior has done for you; How he re- 
4 Per-ish-ing souls at stake to-day, Can you tar-ry for earthly dross? Fly to the 




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love for help to save Blood-bo't sinners all o'er the world. 


vite them earnestly, Some will sure-ly o - bey the call. Per-ish-ing souls at 


deemed thy soulfrom hell, And is a-ble to save them too. 


res-cue, don't de-lay, Bring the need-y to Je - sus' cross. 


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stake, my brother, What is 

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all this world be-side? Per-ish-ing 

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XVI 

EVANGELISTIC TOURS 

The responsibility of publishing the Trumpet required, 
of course, that the editor spend a good portion of his time 
at the Publishing Office. But Brother Warner's zeal for 
the evangelistic work, as well as the demand for his ser- 
vices here and there in the field, took him forth a good 
deal on various tours. An account of the principal tours 
he made, and the events in connection therewith, is suf- 
ficient for a chapter by itself. 

For the first few years after the Trumpet started, he 
made frequent trips. Of these we shall give no account, 
but shall begin the chapter with a trip into western Penn- 
sylvania in the summer of 1 884. A camp-meeting was to 
be held two miles south of Sandy Lake, in Mercer 
County, beginning August 23. This was the second 
meeting for that place, as one had been held there the 
previous year. He planned to attend this meeting after 
holding a grove-meeting in Medina County, Ohio, and 
he accordingly announced there would be no Trumpet 
issued for August 15, since he expected to make this tour. 
Portions of his report of the Sandy Lake meeting are here 
given. Quotations direct from Brother Warner will ena- 
ble the reader the better to comprehend the man and to 
feel the touch of his saintliness; for there breathes out 
from his words such a spirituality and devotion as is pos- 
sessed only by those who are thoroughly abandoned to 
God. 

Glory be to the God of salvation-power! These words seem 
best fitted to begin our report of this heavenly convocation. We 
were met by conveyance at Stonesboro, and the very instant we 
entered the precious grove of the saints' encampment we felt the 
presence of God. Indeed it was wonderful. We were engaged 
in conversation as we drove in and were not thinking of or ex- 



314 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

pecting such a glorious manifestation of God, when, we were sud- 
denly filled with the consciousness of his holy presence, impress- 
ing heart and lips in praises to his holy name. . . . 

We had been unwell some days in the city, and felt half sick 
on the train; but as soon as we breathed the God-pervaded at- 
mosphere of that beautiful pine-grove, all our infirmities fled away 
and we could shout the praises of God in a sound body. How 
hallowed and sweet the recollections of God's blessings upon 
that ground one year ago ! How dear to our heart the precious 
chambers in Brother and Sister Carmichael's tent, where we often 
spent much of the brief interval between the three daily services, 
in nearly all of which the Lord used us to read and teach his 
Holy Word to the dear saints. In that precious retreat he daily 
filled our soul and recuperated the wasted energies of our body 
and mind so that we could stand and feed the Lord's sheep. 
Praise God, we found the same little sanctum prepared for us 
again. Thank God, there were plenty to share the work of the 
gospel ministry this year. 

The blessed Holy Spirit wrought in the hearts of the people 
from the first service to the close of the meeting. On Tuesday 
we went to the stream a mile from the camp and immersed four- 
teen of the dear, happy saints of God. It was a glorious and 
wonderful time. The Spirit of the living God was poured out 
in mighty power. Some went down into the water shouting the 
high praises of God, and nearly all leaped and shouted as they 
came forth from the symbolic grave. What glory shone in the 
faces of those blood-washed ones ! The place was one of beau- 
tiful scenery. On either side the stream stood the dense and lofty 
pines. As this blood-washed company faced the stream, with 
their eyes lifted toward God and their faces all lit up with 
heaven's glow, and sang the sweet songs of redemption, we were 
reminded of Bunyan's company of pilgrims that stood in white 
robes awaiting their invitation to cross to the celestial para- 
dise. . . . 

Do we astonish you when we say that while sinners were melted 
to tears by the power of God during the baptism, and said, "This 
is the right way. This is the right way," an apostate and 

hypocrite preacher by the name of stood back and 

spake against "this way" of the Lord? Woe unto such empty 
clouds, wandering stars, wells without water! 

Brother Fisher was quite sick when we reached the grove, and 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 315 

after having been strengthened several times to preach the word 
he was finally and instantaneously healed by faith and the laying 
on of hands. The next evening the healing; power was mightily 
upon him, and four of the dear saints were healed of various 
diseases and old complaints. In the early part of the meeting 
Brother and Sister Frost's little girl was healed of a very bad 
case of catarrh. The morning Brother and Sister Fisher left, the 
Lord woke us between three and four o'clock in the morning and 
led us forth into the woods to commune with him. Our mind 
was led to ask for a more perfect faith. Praise God, he gave it. 
Early we walked to Brother Farrah's house, where we found 
Sister Clayton very sick with sick-headache. In the name of the 
Lord we laid hands on her head, and she was immediately healed 
by faith in Jesus. Several others of the saints were healed that 
day. . . . 

One evening in company with Brother and Sister Fisher we 
went home with Brother and Sister Frost. Sister Owen lives a 
close neighbor to them. Her daughter had two days before been 
taken sick. That night she was taken very bad, and she suffered 
extremely. Mr. Owen wished to go for the doctor, but Lula 
begged her pa to send for* us. Though he had been extremely 
prejudiced against us by some ungodly sectarian neighbors, he 
could not refuse the wish of his suffering child. He gave his con- 
sent, and at two o'clock we were called up, and went to the 
house in the name of the Lord. Lula had been praying the Lord 
to forgive her sins, and seemed to have found pardon, but she 
was in great suffering. ' Brother Fisher and I laid hands upon 
her, and in less than a minute her intense suffering ceased, and 
she rested until morning. Her body gradually recovered strength, 
and two days later she was out to the meeting. Praise the Lord, 
my soul ! The power of God since then so softened the heart 
of Brother Owen that he has turned to serve the Lord. His heart 
is so changed that he not only loves God but us also. May God 
bless the dear brother. 

Praise the Lord for the wonderful bond of love that binds 
our hearts together in the Son of God! Blind sectarians ask us, 
"What have you got to bind you together?" We reply by asking 
them, "What have you got to part us asunder?" Oh, bless God 
for the balm in this union! We never know the strength of the 
divine bonds of love until all the sect bonds of the devil are cast 
away and we are led to suffer together for the gospel of God and 



5 z BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

tile same of Jesus. Oh, happy bond of perfect love, which binds 
near! .God and to each other! 



After the close of the Sandy Lake meeting he went by 
imitation to Greenville, in the same county. He first 
held an evening service on the streets, in which he spoke 
to a large audience. This was on Friday evening, Sep- 
tember 5. The rest of the services at Greenville were in 
a grove in the country. In his report he tells of his being 
mercilessly beaten by a drunken man and of his wonderful 
escape from injury because of divine protection. 

We praise God for having sent as here. We are confident that 
-_:- r::_ •••■i: zzzt Izt zz.ztz -: zlz zt~z - zzzzzr^.y 
converted and blessed, had actually made an appointment at a 
schoolhoose and talked to toe people by the Holy Spirit People 
•■••ere ~: ■■■:. =ia i^t: :.-•= ~=- :: f;fi£ zzzzz z_: ze z:z- 
snhed his lic lhuilst priest, who told him it would never do in 
the world for him to attempt to speak and exhort w ith out license 
and that if he did so he would be brought op and tried. The 
was scared down and was on back ground; but he 

ntnisrd us to redeencate I muse If to God and go straight forward 

Goofs wiH May God bless and help him. Such is the per- 
work of the devil under the mask of what he calls "our 
We hope in the providence of God to return to Green- 
A sister told us that we would receive persecution for 
pay. Wefl, praise God, we were well remunerated in that kind 
of currency for Christ's sake. It has brought the leap and 
rejoice"* with "the spirit of glory and of Goof in our souL After 
the grove-meetmg we spoke again on the streets of Greenville 
to a very large crowd of attentive hearers. . . . 

After preaching in the grove Saturday night, we walked a nule 
and a half to find rest for the night. The mother and two of the 
family are fuDy saved. But the husband is intemperate and 
desperately wicked. He does not often stop with the family, as 
the htrJe home belongs to one of the sons, who, with his brothers, 
afiords protection to their mother against the father's abuse. 
The wretched man had been drinking liquor through the day, 
i~z •■••!: i_?: •«■;„ :,.:: -.*-.:_- zzt ■'■::: zz zizy.zz'i ■■■■'zi:r. ztzty-t-z 
from his sectarian neighbors, who hate any child of God that 
lives gooxy in Christ Jesus outside of her pales. He 




EVANGELISTIC TOURS 317 

have come liquored up on purpose for a row. After entering the 
house, the frenzied man assaulted us with shocking oaths and 
threats. He was desperate, just in that state of intoxication in 
which he had more than his usual strength, and maddened be- 
yond all reason. He soon struck me with all force in the fore- 
head, but through God his blow was not more than a ball of cot- 
ton. We praised the Lord. Feeling a deep concern for the 
wicked man's soul, we dropped upon our knees in the middle of 
the room, raised our hands, and began to pray for him. But 
this enraged Satan more than ever. He seized a large rocking- 
chair and slammed it down on us with all vengeance, but through 
the Lord Jesus Christ our uplifted hands turned it off with ease. 
The storms of oaths and slamming of furniture was terrific. It 
looked as though there would not be a whole piece left in the 
room. The infuriated man grabbed a common wood-bottom 
chair by the back and struck down twice or three times at our 
head, which was safely shielded by the hand of the Lord. Glory 
to God in the highest! Our soul was filled with great peace in 
the midst of the storm; we had not the slightest fear of suffering 
harm. 

The kind wife and a daughter, who were gloriously sanctified 
at the Sandy Lake meeting, tried to protect us, when the latter 
received a heavy blow on the shoulder from the chair, the legs 
having been threshed off by previous blows, making it all the 
better to maul with. Seeing that they were in danger of being 
hurt in our protection, we arose and began to retreat. The 
savage monster followed us out of the yard and some rods on 
the road with awful curses and open threats that he would kill 
us. Glory to the God of our salvation! There was not a hair 
of our head hurt, not a scratch or mark upon our body. The 
next morning we felt our right wrist was slightly sprained by 
stopping the terrible blows, but it soon disappeared. The man 
soon left, shortly after which his large son came, whose delay 
furnished the intoxicated man his opportunity for an onslaught. 

Praise God, the Lord led me to do just as I had preached 
what a holy man should do when thus assaulted — commit our 
life to God, fear no evil, and let him be glorified in our death 
or deliverance, as he shall choose. Fearing the man might return 
that night and our presence excite to deeds of violence upon the 
family, one of the boys and I went to the barn to sleep, but I 



318 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

spent the night in thanksgiving to God for his sweet deliverance. 
Surely it is( safe to trust God always. 

It was while he was in western Pennsylvania that he re- 
ceived word form his wife that he could come and get their 
boy, Sidney, then a little more than three years of age. 
Accordingly he returned home by way of Upper San- 
dusky, Ohio, and got the boy. He then made a visit to 
the saints at Jerry City, Wood County, of which he thus 
speaks : 

Then, following the apostolic example, we "declared what 
miracles and wonders God had wrought" where we have gone 
about preaching the kingdom of God's grace, and assured the 
dear saints as he did "that we must through much tribulation 
enter the kingdom of heaven." And the hearing of all the 
gracious dealing of God with our soul and in many hearts "caused 
great joy unto all the brethren." Many tears of sympathy and 
holy love flowed from the eyes of the beloved. 

He arrived home at Williamston in time for the annual 
assembly ; for which the large hall, 28x84, on the second 
floor of the Office building afforded a splendid place. It 
was a wonderful gathering of the saints. A number were 
ordained to the ministry, and among these he included 
himself, as where so many were assembled he probably 
decided that his call to the work should be solemnly recog- 
nized and confirmed by the laying on of hands of the 
elders present. As was evidenced by the success of this 
assembly, the work of the reformation seemed by this 
time to be taking a forward move. Since the Ohio as- 
sembly at Bucyrus, one year before, Brother Warner 
had learned to take a more fearless, unyielding attitude 
against deceiving elements such as had encompassed him 
there. 

We shall ever have reasons to thank God for the benefit de- 
rived from the Ohio assembly last fall. Though much pf the 
good anticipated was not realized because of the evil powers that 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 319 

were permitted to "encompass the beloved saints," yet the lessons 
learned as a result have furnished a protection against the devil 
in all subsequent meetings. The fact is, we were delivered from 
priestcraft and had a solemn abhorrence of everything that sa- 
vored of lordism. Hence we declared the meetings free; yes, free 
for heretics, false prophets, and virtually for the devil himself. 
In our zeal to avoid all dragon authority we had also lost sight 
of the divine authority, and God had to permit that victorious 
conflict with the powers of hell to teach us the necessity of us- 
ing, not lordism, but, the double-edged sword of the Almighty 
upon everything that is not clean and straight before God. 

Since "we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our 
hearts before God," "we know that we are of God, and he that 
heareth us not is not of God." And the only sense in which we 
give place to such as are deformed and darkened by antichrist 
traditions and "doctrines of devils," is in this wise : We give place 
for them at the altar, where, by entire consecration, and faith 
in the blood of Christ they may be cleansed from sin and all fool- 
ish conversation received by tradition from the fathers." Glory be 
to God. there is now a flaming sword in the assembly of his 
saints, that can be endured only by those who know and do the 
truth, and such as honestly wish to know and obey the truth as 
it is in Christ Jesus. We believe that all future time and eternity 
will not erase the glory of this [Williamston] assembly from the 
memory of thof redeemed. 

After the assembly he held a meeting in Battle Creek, 
Mich. The following is a portion of his account of a 
woman's deliverance from devil-possession, which oc- 
curred while he was there. Such instances were found 
from time to time. For an example we give but this one : 

For some months past Mrs. Samuel Worden, of Battle Creek, 
Mich., has created quite an excitement in the papers throughout 
the country by the exercise of a supernatural power of healing. 
People have come from a considerable distance to be treated, and 
letters have poured in from every direction. S,ome cases of heal- 
ing were actually performed. 

The woman and her husband, hearing of our meetings, came 
to hear the gospel and, seemed willing to receive the truth. She 
confessed that they were not fully saved and filled with the Spirit 
as they should be, although she claimed to heal in the name of 



320 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Christ and by the power of God. She soon came to the altar. 
God enabled us to see her condition pretty correctly. We told 
her she was in the "gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity." 
She acknowledged the fact and desired deliverance. In the 
course of a few days she professed to have found salvation. 
There seemed to be a change; but still there was something in 
her from which the Spirit of God in our heart recoiled. She 
tried to consecrate for sanctification, but could not claim that 
grace. 

On Sabbath afternoon, October 26, the power of God was 
upon our little meeting. There were four cases of healing by the 
laying on of hands. Sister Worden said that she had suffered 
for many years in an awful manner with what she called a con- 
fused headache. She had hands laid on her for the healing. The 
Spirit came on us and her in mighty power. She claimed what 
had been prayed for, a complete healing of her body. Presently 
there were strange manifestations, which the most of us at once 
recognized as the writhing of evil spirits in her. We asked God 
to show her just what it was. Presently she said, "Brother 
Warner, pray for me." We asked her what she wanted. She re- 
plied, "That the devil might be cast out." This was the con- 
fession we desired to draw out of her. Hands were laid on her 
head, and the demons were commanded to come out of her in the 
name of jesus Christ. The poor victim was soon convulsed and 
choked by the hellish spirits, which had to come out by the power 
of God. She obtained relief, sat up. but did not look clear. We 
all kept looking to God to complete the work. Hands were laid 
on again in the name of Jesus. Another struggle ensued. Then 
we perceived that to get complete deliverance there had to be 
a more perfect consecration, confession, and mortification. We 
proceeded to use the sword of the Spirit in every possible manner. 
But a miserable don't-care devil answered to every point of 
consecration. 

Oh, what an awful condition the poor woman was in! How 
discouraging! The devils had so long held possession of her 
that they had almost taken possession of her own will and 
thoughts. And this awful enemy had so tortured her head that 
she had had a hard struggle to keep out of the asylum; so when 
he was pressed by the power of God he caused such distress and 
confusion in her head that he could use her mind and organs of 
speech. But by the grace and mercy of God conviction reached 
her conscience. The poor woman made some humiliating con- 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 321 

fessions, was humbled down, and wept. She confessed her asso- 
ciation with Spiritualists, which Satan had tried to conceal be- 
fore Glory to God, his chief nest was now revealed. The 
Spiritualism devil was commanded to come out of her in the 
name of Christ. Oh, how he tortured the poor woman! Her 
throat became greatly swollen. How the legions of hell struggled 
against the power of God! She was pretty thoroughly decided 
for God; declared she would have every last evil spirit cast out 
if it killed her. Glory to God for the mighty Deliverer! Re- 
lief came by the hand of Jesus. A great measure of peace filled 
her soul. She sat up in the rocking-chair and her hands were 
raised while we sang songs of victory for the space of an hour. 
Two days later she discovered that there was still in her heart 
something that was not right, and a close examination discovered 
that she had some linking love for Spiritualists. She confessed 
it, when she soon found that more evil spirits were revealed. 
By the laying on of hands and the power of God she was fully 
delivered, after which she consecrated wholly and entered the 
sacred rest of entire sanctification.* On Saturday hands were 
laid upon her for healing. The mighty power of God came upon 
her and filled her soul and body, and she was perfectly healed 
from the awful tortures Satan had| inflicted upon her for many 
years. Praise God for his wonderful mercy to the oppressed 
children of men! For years this poor, woman had struggled 
hard to keep out of the insane asylum; now she says, "I am 
'clothed and in my right mind.' " Her neighbors see the great 
change in her countenance. One woman looked upon her with 
astonishment, and said, "Why, how your face and voice are 
changed! surely these meetings are the true work of God." 

The months of February and March, 1885, he spent 
in a tour to southeastern Iowa, and northeastern Missouri. 
He refers to his leaving home as follows : 

In the kind providence of God we were permitted to start forth 

*In reference to this apparent instance of a person's being- in a 
justified state while at the same time in possession of evil spirits it 
can be said, without attempting an explanation of whether such 
might be possible, that Brother Warner was always very particular 
to insist on justification as an essential condition to sanctification, 
and that if we knew all the circumstances in this case (allowing 
that the account may not be full) there probably would be no 
question in our minds. 



322 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

on this long-expected tour January 28. God bless the beloved 
ones we left behind in the Trumpet Office. Oh, how our hearts 
are knit together in the pure love of Jesus! Bless God for those 
he has given to be with us in the glorious work of the Lord! 
But the hardest of all was to leave my precious little Sidney, not 
expecting to see the dear child again for some three months. But 
praise God for the very kind provision he has made for the poor 
boy in the devout family of Brother and Sister William Crandall, 
residing at the edge of our town. Here he is taught to pray 
daily, and his little heart is developed only in the pure spirit of 
love and obedience. He is my only living child, three years old 
the 24th of last June. Though he has a happy home and two 
little playmates, still, as may be imagined under the circumstances, 
his dear little heart clings to his father with the most fervent love 
that a child is capable of possessing, as ours also does to him. 
But since God so lovingly cares for him, we must leave the blessed 
little angel in his charge and go forth to win to Christ souls that 
are lost in sin. 

He was gone nearly three months. The meetings in 
Iowa and Missouri resulted in good, yet nothing of un- 
usual interest attended them. Early in June he made a 
trip to Daviess County, Ind. He had found in his evang- 
elistic work that preaching on the street was a very ef- 
fectual way of reaching the people. When he lived in 
Indianapolis, a few years previously, he and the saints in 
that place engaged frequently in preaching on the streets 
and in the parks. One Sunday afternoon, while preach- 
ing in Central Park, a man came to him and gave the 
names of persons in southern Indiana to whom he re- 
quested the Trumpet sent. Thus the Trumpet became 
the forerunner of his visit to Daviess County. 

As we passed through the village of Odon, we notified the 
people that' we would preach the gospel on their streets the next 
afternoon. Not being accustomed to such services, there was 
quite an interest. The people began to collect some time before 
the hour arrived. Store-boxes, sidewalks, etc., were converted 
into pews, and we hacj one of the best hearings we ever had on 
the streets. God mightily helped us by his Spirit to testify the 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 323 

gospel of his perfect salvation for an hour and thirty-eight min- 
utes. Bless God, the truth swept, all the sinnership religion into 
the pit, from whence it came. Though real Bible holiness had 
scarcely ever been preached in that place, and no holiness meet- 
ings ever held there, so far as we learned, yet every hearer, even 
lawyers, doctors, and preachers, acknowledged the practicability 
of perfect salvation and preservation from all sin through Christ 
Jesus. A Baptist preacher by the name of W — , who had been 
preaching to the people that no one can or does live without 
sinning in this world, and that all men sin day and night, sat 
close by us, and was convinced of the truth of the gospel and 
convicted of his sins. He sanctioned the word and acknowledged 
to others that it was all truth. We saw the tears in his eyes, and 
hoped he would become saved and qualified to preach for Jesus, 
instead of for sin and the sect. 

Sabbath, the seventh, we held services in a grove near old 
Shiloh Bethel, south of Od,on. As the appointment was circu- 
lated only after our arrival, there was not a large turnout. The 
Baptist preacher sat near us while preaching in the forenoon, 
and looking into his face during the discourse, our soul was 
pained to see that he had shut his heart against the truth and 
salvation of God. Instead of coming down to an equality with 
Christ, he chose to have a reputation among men, to indulge 
the lusts of the flesh and enjoy the friendship of the world. 
From that moment his "face gathered blackness." During the 
afternoon preaching he showed every disposition to avoid listen- 
ing to the gospel of God. He came to some of the meetings 
afterward, just as the ungodly Pharisees followed Christ, to 
"catch something out of his mouth." On Wednesday evening 
Bro. 0. Allen met and spoke to this priest of Baal, standing in a 
public place of the village, burning incense to the devil in gratifi- 
cation of the filthy lust for tobacco. 

He later made another trip into Pennsylvania and at- 
tended the third annual camp-meeting at Sandy Lake. 
At the close of this meeting he, in company with others, 
drove about twelve miles to attend a Church of God 
(Winebrennerian) camp-meeting, held near Barkeyville. 
His description under the title A Night in Babylon, is 
here given in part. 

On the way we met a good many people returning from the 



324 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

camp, and we were no little astonished to see so many of them 
smoking cigars. Finally the thought forced itself on our mind, 
"Can it be possible that they are selling such things on the camp- 
ground?" But considering that it was the Sabbath-day and the 
people holding the camp-meeting professed to be the "Church 
of God," such a thing surely could not be. The very thought 
was shocking and preposterous. When a half mile away we 
saw a smoke ascending at the camp. As we entered the ground 
we observed a crowd of sinners standing about a building with a 
sign, Boarding-Tent, and the smoke from their many cigars 
blended into a cloud, that we had seen from a distance. Soon 
after landing, we said to a brother, "Let us walk up and see 
what they have to sell there." We did so, and adventuring into 
the poison-fog we walked the whole length of the long building, 
all opened in front, displaying a large stock of every variety of 
ware that would be necessary to satisfy the pride, vanity, and 
lust of the horse-race or any vanity-fair throng of this ungodly 
world. 

We were shocked and amazed at this horrible traffic. The chief 
sale was tobacco. There the nasty, filthy stuff was piled up from 
one end of the building to the other. The vile curse of the earth, 
in every form and shape the devil ever invented, freely sold on 
a — oh, the blasphemy! — "Church of God" camp-ground! . . . 

It was all licensed by the preachers in control of the meetings. 
And such men have the wicked presumption to call themselves 
ministers of Christ! One of the "merchants of these things which 
were made rich" by the "abundance of the delicacies," though 
we understand he makes no profession of Christ, was ashamed of 
the unhallowed traffic, and though his contract included another 
year, he said he would never come back again. He confessed 
that if he were to open up such traffic on Sabbath at his place of 
business in town he would be prosecuted; but the superabundance 
of righteousness (?) of these tobacco-soaked preachers, it would 
appear, was to atone for the same sins on their camp-ground. 
Surely it has come to pass what is written in the prophets, "They 
overpass the deeds of the wicked" ( Jer. 5 : 28) . 

After taking some refreshment and having obtained permis- 
sion to praise God, we engaged in our evening devotion, with sing- 
ing and prayer, to the God of our salvation. Our doors were 
soon crowded with young folks to hear the singing. 

The tobacco-smoke was so dense that we could scarcely endure 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 325 

it without getting sick. But after a few songs and prayers were 
offered, every one cast his cigar away and listened with serious- 
ness. This they did without a word said by any of us. . . . 

The meeting had been in progress four days, and no soul had 
been saved. Not a seeker. Not even a place for a penitent to 
kneel, no straw on the ground. The pulpit was the only place 
to kneel in the congregation; as. though they did not expect a 
poor penitent to seek God, and that the preacher should do all 
the praying. 

On Monday morning, the services were made later than the 
usual hour. The preachers were doubtless perplexed how to 
perform in the deadness of their souls. "The sinners in Zion 
are afraid; fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites" (Isa. 33: 
14). Not one of them would venture to preach. The services 
were confined to one hour. After reading a psalm, the preacher 
announced that all should be* free to serve God by prayer, and 
testimony, and song, requesting brevity of each. So, as our 
heart was "springing up" full of the love of God, we opened 
our mouth to praise the Lord in singing a verse occasionally. 
After several had spoken we arose and testified to the great "sal- 
vation we have in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." We aimed 
to be very brief, but occupied seven minutes by the watch, when 
they began to sing. But they being but a few and "feeble folk," 
their song would not have interfered materially with our remarks. 
However, we struck in to sing until they stopped, and then sat 
down. . . . 

After the services were dismissed we were ordered to leave 
the ground as soon as we could pack up and depart; and for- 
bidden to sing, pray, or preach, within one mile of their tobacco- 
soaked camp. 

When asked why they would not allow us to worship God there, 
the president said it was because we held a second work of 
grace, which they did not believe. Why should they fear to 
hear the testimony? If they really believed that there is no 
"second grace," they need not fear that any of their flock would 
obtain it. According to their position, they were afraid of the 
thing that does not exist. What brave soldiers! 

One of the preachers arose in the speaking-meeting and said, 
"According to the little bit of information I have received con- 
cerning Christ's salvation, it is all received at once." Certainly a 
man that has only " a little bit of information respecting Christ's 



326 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

salvation" has only a little bit of salvation, and that little bit 
of salvation was doubtless all obtained at once, for it was so little 
it could not have been divided. And when that very "little bit" 
is analyzed it is seen to consist in a mere "name to live," a 
"form of godliness," anointed by love of self and love of 
sect. . . . 

The preacher who led the meeting is saturated with tobacco 
and addicted to horse-trading and worldly foolish jesting. In 
his remarks he said we should "exemplify Christ," that is, our 
lives should be like his. The Lord led us to ask him if he re- 
garded himself an example of Christ's character; whether he 
could consistently say to boys and men generally, "Follow the 
example I set before you." Not having 'sanctified the Lord 
Jesus in his heart,' he was not ready to give an answer. He 
paced the pulpit, being speechless. We repeated the question, in- 
cluding both him and the president. Neither answered. We 
then told the latter something about their being of the same spirit 
the old Jews and pagans were of, who forbade the apostles 
preaching any more in their towns. We also called their attention 
to the abominable and wicked traffic we saw on their ground on 
the Lord's day, which was licensed by them and sanctioned by 
their filthy habit. They could allow that corrupting bane of 
society; but of a few little children of God who have obtained 
pure hearts and desired to "worship God in the beauty of holi- 
ness," they said, "Away with them"! . . . 

Well, we are compelled to give the manifestations at that camp 
the credit of being the filthiest and vilest form of Babylon we 
have ever met. An unconverted man who was there and wit- 
nessed the scene said to them, "God deliver me from such a 
sect." They are destitute of God's grace. 'For the grace of God 
that bringeth salvation . . . teacheth us, that denying un- 
godliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, 
and godly in this present world' (Tit. 2:11, 12). But these 
live in the filth of the world, "walking after their ungodly lusts." 

In a report written from this part of Pennsylvania 
three years later, he refers to his visit to the Winebrenner- 
ian camp, as just described, and says, "Well, that was the 
last camp-meeting held on that ground. Their doleful 
tents are rotting to the ground, and are the habitation of 
owls and bats." 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS > 327 

As this reformation comprehended the return to the 
full Scriptural standard of truth, it meant the dislodging 
of Satan from his last stronghold. It was only to be ex- 
pected that he should become greatly stirred and be forced 
out into open combat. The conflicts Brother Warner 
had by this time passed through taught him never to give 
any quarter to the enemy. It may seem that he was a 
little extreme in his denunciation of every false and deceiv- 
ing element, and in some measures that he took. We must 
credit him, however, with having learned pretty thor- 
oughly to keep within the leadings of the Spirit of God, 
so that his measures were justified in their effects. An 
incident that occurred in the Beaver Dam assembly in 
October, 1885, may be questioned! as to the propriety of 
the act, but we must confess that it bore on its face the 
vindicating miraculous power of God. 

A few persons attended that meeting who came to 
oppose. One of these was a man whose name was T. H. 
Low. He said that charges had been preferred against 
him and he had come there to defend himself. But he 
began a tirade of abuse against the saints. He did not 
stop at this, but continued to interrupt the services. He 
paid no attention to any request to cease his disturbance. 
Finally he was personally taken out of the house by 
Brother Warner, who thus speaks of the event: 

Every child of God could feel the terrible spirit. After the 
meeting [an evening service] the mighty power of the Spirit of 
God came more and more upon us. He led us to tell all there 
of the unclean spirits, that they were not of God, but were de- 
luded of Satan. He so baptized our soul on the way from 
meeting that the wagon could scarcely hold us. What wonderful 
power! We saw clearly our duty and promised God to take the 
sword and rush to the battle the next morning. As we were three 
miles away, and some late in reaching the meeting-house, the 
picking devil began to work in Low before we arrived. The 
Lord had shown us clearly that we must "give no place to the 



328 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

devil" to bring in Babylon confusion and pernicious jangling in 
His meetings, that 'all who watch for iniquity, that make a man 
an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth 
in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught, are 
cut off' (Isa. 29:20, 21), and must not be tolerated by us, no, 
not for a moment. By the grace of God we rebuked the foul 
spirits sharply in the name of Jesus, and described what grade of 
devils they were; and forbid them to have any part in the meeting 
unless it be at the altar, seeking mercy. 

But the church, being too lenient toward devils, permitted him 
to make a long, ungodly, picking, evil-surmising harangue. This 
was contrary to God's will ; for God so abhors Babylon confusion 
that he demands that every such malicious, prating spirit be 
expelled out of the land at once. "Put away from among you 
that wicked person." But his satanic speech was a good thing 
to confirm to some of the less illuminated that we had not missed 
the mark in describing the devil that possessed him. After his 
long tirade of abuse upon the saints, in which God exceedingly 
blessed all our souls, inspiring many shouts of praise, we under- 
took to go on with the praise- and testimony-meeting. But Low 
was determined to keep up a babel of confusion. 

After nearly every testimony he was on his feet snapping, 
snarling, and trying to bite some one. Finally he appeared de- 
termined to keep ,on with his ungodly frothing, condescending to 
about the lowest, littlest, and meanest fault-finding and bickering 
we ever heard from any animal in the shape of a man. We saw 
clearly that God would be dishonored and offended if we allowed 
such ungodliness to continue. We stepped up to him and re- 
quested him in the name of Jesus Christ to be still and sit down, 
and let the worship of God go on. But the devil only raged 
the more. The mighty power of God came on us, and to our own 
astonishment we seized the man and started for the door. Soon 
we both fell to the floor, but the L,ord had me quickly on foot 
and him sliding down the aisle toward the door, and there was no 
stop until he was out of the house. This act was a surprize to 
many, and to no one more than ourself. The Almighty Qod 
just picked us out of our own previous notions and by his own 
power, without the apparent exertion of so much as a little finger 
on our part, he used this comparatively small and frail body to 
cast out a large strong man. 

It was a wonderful experience; the sweetness of heaven filled 
our soul; and the great river of divine peace flowed with ma- 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 329 

jestic glory in our heart. If God ever wrought a miracle in 
these times this was one. Though he is a tall muscular body, 
quick, nervous, disciplined by labor on a farm, and we weak 
and soft-muscled, he was drawn out just as easily as if he were 
a pair of trousers stuffed with hay. Though he seized hold of 
the ends of the seats as we passed along, his fingers seemed to 
be as powerless as if mere flabby flesh. All glory to God, who 
is our strength and our fortress, our rock and our deliverer! 
We were so blessed in the deed that we could scarcely stop when 
the man had reached the ground without. As we walked back 
it flashed in our mind that one reason God had thus used this 
body was because a few moments before the beast-spirit was 
. ^ing some ungodly speeches against the work of healing, 
throwing up the imperfections of our own body as an argument 
against it.* Thus God showed his strength in casting out the 
false prophet by the very temple he had just prated against. 
Glory be to the name of Jesus! The Lord is the strength of my 
life: of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, my enemies 
and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled 
and fell.' 'He delivered me from my strong enemy and from 
them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.' "They 
cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, 
but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the 
dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dust in the 
streets" (Psa. 18:41, 42). 

Praise God, the testimony r.nd songs and shouts of praise in 
the mighty Spirit of the living God kept the beasts chained, and 
the meeting was glorious to the end. In the afternoon they de- 
parted out of the neighborhood. 

*Low had been ridiculing the idea of divine healing. Some had 
testified of healing, and Low said to Brother Warner, "If you would 
examine them you would find they are not healed. You talk about 
healing — you are nothing but a scrawny man yourself. ' ' Brother 
David Leininger, who still lives in the vicinity, related that he 
was present on this occasion and sat near the rostrum. As Brother 
Warner stepped down from the rostrum he looked toward him as if 
bidding for his assistance. He arose from his seat hesitatingly, 
doubting the propriety of ejecting Low by force. Before he could 
make up his mind, Low was being dragged through the aisle, his 
hands grasping the seats but immediately loosing their hold. 
Brother Leininger followed as a little dog follows a sled, and was 
witness to Low's being sent sprawling on the grass outside. The 
man came back in the house, sat in his seat, and was quiet. 



330 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

This affair caused a little confusion in the congregation 
at the time, but soon all were quiet and the meeting went 
on. 

Brother Warner felt that he needed, and that the Lord 
was going to provide, a company of singers to go with him 
in the evangelistic field. It was about this time that the 
company who should travel with him for more than five 
years began to be formed. It was at the \\ illiamston 
assembly that summer that Brother Warner said to Nan- 
nie Kigar, of Payne, Ohio, and to Frances Miller, of 
Battle Creek, who attended the meeting, that he felt im- 
pressed they would form a part of his company to help in 
singing and other gospel work. Their voices were so- 
prano and alto respectively. They, with a number of 
other saints, accompanied Brother Warner to the Beaver 
Dam assembly. On their way, as they changed cars at 
Ft. \X ayne. they met and were joined by Sarah Smith, 
of Jerry City, Ohio. While they were at Beaver Dam 
the Lord added Sister Smith to the company. Her voice 
furnished a high tenor. She was an elderly lady and she 
was called the "mother" of the company. Bro. John U. 
Bryant and Bro. D. Leininger, from the Beaver Dam 
neighborhood, also traveled in the company for a time. 

After the Beaver Dam meeting, Brother Warner made 
a short visit to Illinois and Iowa, while the rest of the 
company remained at Beaver Dam and were soon en- 
gaged in a protracted meeting at the Hans Schoolhouse, 
where about fifty souls were saved and a great interest was 
created.* WTuTe on this trip he was healed of an afflic- 
tion of the eyes. He thus speaks of it: 

*Brother Leininger relates that at this meeting a Bunkard min- 
ister drew his fist to strike him. A daughter of this preacher was 
a hired helper in Brother Leininger 's family. She had obtained 
the experience of sanetifieation ? which angered her father. As 
Brother Leininger was going out of the meeting-house, this man 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 331 

During the Williamston assembly in September, Satan began 
to afflict our eyes. At the beginning we were impressed that it 
was an attack of the enemy. They grew worse until we were 
scarcely able to read or write. The next morning after our ar- 
riving in Iowa, the Spirit impressed a sister that it was Satan 
who had afflicted our eyes to prevent our labors in writing, etc. 
Instantly recollecting the same impression in our mind at the be- 
ginning of the attack, we knew it was of God. 

Our vehement faith in God and indignation against the devil 
were instantly aroused. We fell upon our knees and asked God 
to deliver us, rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus Christ. Praise 
God, the pain all ceased, and we were able to do a pretty good 
day's work. And our eyes have been well ever since. God suf- 
fered the attack doubtless to teach us a lesson concerning the 
origin of much of the. suffering of the afflicted. 

In the latter part of January he with his company of 
singers and coworkers went to Deerfield, Randolph 
County, Ind., arriving on a Saturday evening. The next 
morning they attended a meeting where a nominal Chris- 
tian preacher had the service. They sang some of the 
sweet songs of victory; but this so confounded the 
preacher that he could not find anything in his Bible to 
preach, and after he had taken the pulpit he invited 
Brother Warner to preach. The latter preached a burn- 
ing message. He had hoped for the use of the house, but 
it could be seen that the preacher intended to control the 
house that week, for he proposed that he and these people 
use it alternately. He was soon told that they were out 
on the blood and fire line, that they could not yoke up with 
the dead priests of Babel and would go elsewhere. 

They went over into the edge of Jay County and began 
meetings in a United Brethren house called Prospect. 
Here the preaching created a furor among those who were 



stood at the door ready to da violence to him. He drew back his 
fist to strike, but it seems his blow was rather miadireeted, as his 
thumb nail grazed his own nose and tore loose a bit of skin, so 
that he went home bleeding and discomfited. 



332 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

joined to their sectarian institution and felt that it was in 
danger. It was like a thunderbolt in the community. Hie 
singing drew the crowds. The trustees became fearful. 
One of them went into the woods to pray to know what 
to do to get rid of) these people who seemed to be taking 
things. The heavenly songs seemed to follow him. He 
felt he should attend all the meetings to see what oc- 
curred. He soon found that these people had something 
more than the United Brethren had. He was one of two 
trustees who embraced the truth, and of course desired 
that the meetings continue. Threats were made. A 
woman was heard to say, "They ought to be driven out 
of the country with shotguns." A Baptist preacher who 
came into the neighborhood said that they ought to be put 
in jail, and offered his service as one to help in the matter. 

The United Brethren minister had been holding meet- 
ings, with but little success. A Mrs. R — , one of their 
number, had been praying the Lord to send somebody 
who would preach the truth in such a way that God 
would get unto himself a people who would serve him. 
She and a Mrs. W — went to the altar together, with 
others. Brother Warner asked them whether they would 
be willing to separate themselves from denominationalism 
if the Lord should show them that duty. Sister W — 
said in her heart, yes. Sister R — turned over to her and 
said, "Now, they are trying to tear down the church, so 
let us just stick." There she turned bitter, and the very 
thing she had prayed for she was rejecting. She walked 
up and down the aisle wringing her hands and crying, 
"My church! my church!" Another woman said, 
"These people are either awfully good people or else they 
are desperately wicked." Once during the meeting flying 
missiles crashed through the windows. Glass flew across 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 333 

the room, striking a woman on the head and drawing 
blood.* Said Brother Warner: 

People have dealt in cheap, shoddy religions so long that they 
feel like stoning us when we state the cost of that we are commis- 
sioned of Christ to offer the people; nevertheless, when men con- 
sent to pay the price they are always highly pleased with the 
results. 

Such a display of sectarian idolatry was a good exhibi- 
tion for some who had come out of Babylon, for they 
saw what they had been yoked up with. About eight 
persons made their escape in this meeting. 

There were in attendance, as was usual in the meet- 
ings everywhere, people who gloried in hearing the sects 
spoken against. Such people, of course, while adding 
force in the start, were no substantial credit to the move- 
ment, as they were not genuine representatives. 

During the winter the evangelists went to Marshall 
County, into a neighborhood that seemed very dark spir- 
itually. After one of the evening meetings there, in 
which he had preached with marvelous power, Brother 
Warner was passing out the door when a young rough 
gave him a kick. He turned and thanked the fellow and 
said he always praised God when he received such treat- 
ment. As he started on he received another kick, for 
which he also praised God aloud. At the house where 
he was stopping the sister had two very wicked sons. On 
the night the kicking occurred one of these young men, in- 
stead of retiring to bed, sat in his chair at the fireplace, his 

*A man who lived in the neighborhood said in one of the meet- 
ings that he was going to kick Brother Warner. As the latter was 
among the last to pass out of the building, this man lingered at 
the door, while the crowd was waiting to see him do the deed. 
As Brother Warner passed out he raised his foot to' kick, but he 
did not kick. He was asked why he did not. His reply was, "I 
was afraid the Lord would kick me" This man accepted the 
truth and became one of the permanent fixtures in the church 
in that place. 



334 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

face in his hands, groaning. When asked what was the 
matter, he referred to what had happened that evening 
and said he felt sorry for Brother Warner, for surely he 
was a godly man, etc. When he saw how Brother War- 
ner received such abuse, his heart was touched, and he 
was much pained. He and his brother had both mis- 
treated Brother Warner and those with him and had in 
their presence cursed his mother for feeding them. When 
they saw the love manifested their hearts melted, and they 
became warm friends to the saints of God. 

From Marshall County the company went up into 
Michigan, into Van Buren County. Here, at Geneva 
Center lived a young man whom the Lord had saved 
and was calling into the gospel work, Bro. Barney E. 
Warren. The fact that he was under twenty-one years 
of age and that his father was unsaved and was opposed 
to his going into the ministry, was an obstacle. But his 
father, who was a very wicked man, became very much 
convicted during the meetings held in a schoolhouse in 
the vicinity. He was seized with such trembling that 
in his attempt to steady himself by holding to the seats he 
shook the very floor of the building. Finally, in a conse- 
cration-meeting in Bro. Joseph Smith's house, near Lacota, 
he rebelled against the Lord and started to leave the 
room. Before he reached the door the strength of his 
legs gave way and he sank instantly to the floor, and was 
unable to go farther. He then yielded. Brother War- 
ner asked him if he was willing to let Barney go into the 
gospel work. His reply was, "Barney is the Lord's." 
The way was then opened for the young Brother Warren, 
and in the following April he became a part of the little 
singing company that should travel with Brother Warner 
for the next five years, and should consisit of, besides 
Brother Warren, who was a base singer, Sisters Nannie 




Evangelistic company, 1886-1891 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 335 

Kigar, Frances Miller, and Mother Smith. This consti- 
tuted a complete quartet, with Brother Warner often 
reenforcing the tenor. 

There had come to be many saints gathered in the one 
fold in this part of Michigan. Bros. A. B. Palmer, S. 
Michels, W. B. Grover, and S. L. Speck were ministerial 
workers whom God was using in this vicinity. At this 
time Brother Warner was called to Williamston to help 
get out the second edition of the Songs of Victory, the first 
song-book published at the Gospel Trumpet Office. Of 
the first edition there were over fifteen hundred copies 
sold in less than three weeks. Holy song exerted a 
wonderful influence in the reformation. With reference 
to his return to Williamston we include a paragraph from 
his report. 

The day we arrived at home a good steam-engine was brought 
into the Trumpet Office, by the kind blessing of God, Brother 
Fisher having previously engaged it. Thank God that we live to 
see this day. The glorious work is spreading like fire in the earth. 
Glory to God and the Lamb! Oh, what hosts of fire-baptized 
saints we have met! With the increase ,of numbers there is a 
continual advancement in clearness and power. 

Thus there was a long day of waiting before a steam- 
engine was used in the Trumpet Office. Every improve- 
ment of this kind was always an occasion of much re- 
joicing for Brother Warner. 

By this time the truths of the reformation were being 
extensively scattered. Besides the workers named in 
southwestern Michigan, there were G. T. Clayton in 
western Pennsylvania, C. Z. Lindley in Iowa, J. P. 
Haner in Kansas, and W. N. Smith and others in Ohio. 
The Lord was raising up ministers in various places, and 
many people were accepting the truth. 

The first engagement for Brother Warner and his 
company, after the latter had been definitely formed, 



336 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

was at Walkerton, Ind., in April, 1886. They remained 
two weeks, and a few souls came out on the clear Bible 
line. There was a little persecution here, as was usual. 
They found the place dark with prejudice. Over forty 
of the professors in the place were joined in a holiness 
band. They professed sanctification, but most of them 
were connected with sects. 

We went to their meeting on Tuesday night before we began 
operations in the hall. Being held in the United Brethren house, 
the meeting was led by Pastor S — , of that sect. God powerfully 
baptized our soul, and we praised him in prayer and testimony, 
which made the sect priest grow black in the face. He afterward 
tried to make out that we had come there and interrupted their 
meeting, and actually caused a report of that kind to go out. 
He spared no pains to fill the place with all manner of evil 
against us. Like Demetrius, the silversmith, his craft was in 
danger. . . . 

The Methodist priest delivered a lecture on Monday night in 
favor of secret societies; he labored especially to make a good 
character for the Odd Fellows. The Holy Spirit put it upon us 
to rebuke such agents of the devil. This the class-leader of that 
sect said made his blood boil. So he went about the town 
breathing out his venom against us and enlisting as many as pos- 
sible in an effort to induce the proprietor of the hall to break 
his contract and close the hall. They succeeded in so influ- 
encing him; but the power of God turned his mind right around, 
and he not only gave the hall cheerfully to the extent of the time, 
but offered it as much longer as we wanted it or at any time 
we might return. 

Threats were made, eggs were thrown, and there was 
considerable disturbance. But the effect of such abuse 
was the raising up of many friends for the truth and the 
salvation of a few souls. Brother Warner was again 
called home, and the company returned to Beaver Dam. 
The next trip for the company was to the Prospect 
neighborhood, in Jay County, where the truth had been 
planted the previous winter. This was in May. Brother 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 337 

Warner and Brother and Sister Fisher went directly to 
Portland by train, while the company, including S. L. 
Speck and Clara Morrison, were conveyed from Beaver 
Dam in a wagon. Of this trip across the country in a 
wagon, Sister Frances Miller wrote an account in her 
diary. It is interesting reading in these days of automo- 
biles, when such a trip can be made in a few hours, and 
we here include it as she wrote it. 

The brethren from Beaver Dam carried our little company 
from that place to Sweetser, Grant County, by lumber-wagon. 
We started at 5 A. M., and reached our destination about 9 P. 
M. We had a glorious time by the way, praising God and singing 
those beautiful songs. About two miles beyond Roann we drove 
in at the edge of a beautiful piece of woods and stopped for 
dinner. We placed the seats in a circle and spread our dinner 
upon Father's green carpet, then thought we would praise him 
with a song, supposing we were alone in the woods. 

In a few moments we were surrounded with cattle. There 
must have been at least twenty-five or thirty, with their eyes wide 
open, gazing at us. We felt that God had put the love of music 
in these dumb animals, and we sang two or three songs for their 
benefit. 

Mother Smith then asked God to bless the food, and we all 
thanked him for it, in our hearts. After the horses had finished 
their dinner we pursued our way, rejoicing because we had Jesus 
in our souls, and he made melody through us to the Father. 

The next morning the Beaver Dam brethren returned home, 
and brethren at Sweetser brought us to Prospect, Jay County. We 
started at 7 A. M. It was a beautiful morning. The recent 
rains had laid the dust, and we had pike roads most of the way, 
making traveling delightful. In the afternoon the clouds began to 
gather blackness, and in a short time a terrible storm was upon 
us. The rain came down in torrents, drenching us through and 
through. The wind was furious. It seemed almost every moment 
as though it would take us up. Then the hailstones came down so 
thickly the horses refused to go. We were seemingly in the midst 
of an ocean of water. The recent heavy rains had flooded the 
country, washing away several bridges. 

We had quite an adventurous trip; forded one river, and the 



338 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

horses, while pulling us through a deep creek, pulled loose from 
the wagon, leaving us in the water. We were able to get to land, 
however. This was about two hours after the storm, and while 
the brethren were repairing the wagon we gathered hailstones 
by the handful in the fence corners. 

Well, I am satisfied that none but the pure in heart could relish 
such a storm. We did enjoy it ; and God so filled our hearts that 
we praised him through it all. And when the wind was blowing 
the thickest, the calmness in our souls was indescribable. We 
knew God had power to prevent the storm; but in his wisdom 
he saw it was just what we needed, and his will being ours, we 
thanked him for it and left the consequences of our becoming wet 
in his hands, knowing all would work out for our good. 

After the storm, it turned quite cold. We had thirty miles yet 
to drive; but we had the holy fire burning within us. We 
reached Brothey Key's about twelve o'clock that night, waking 
Brother and Sister Key with the song, "Oh, 'twas love, 'twas love, 
that found out me!" The next morning, Saturday, May 15, we 
arose feeling refreshed after a few hours' rest, not one of us 
feeling any the worse after our exposure of the previous day. 

Oh. what a wonderful God! Let us praise him for his good- 
ness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. We 
drove out to Prospect that morning, six miles, and to our sur- 
prize and joy met Brother and Sister Fisher, who had come with 
Brother Warner. Our hearts were made to rejoice to meet the 
dear saints at Prospect, with whom we had labored in the Lord 
last January. We had a glorious time and witnessed the salva- 
tion of many precious souls. 

This second meeting at Prospect was to be held in a 
grove; but on account of the weather being cold and 
damp, and the meeting-house being refused, the meetings 
were held most of the time in a granary building owned 
by a brother, Jesse Wickersham. This brother had 
given the land on which the Prospect meeting-house stood, 
and had contributed largely to its erection, with the under- 
standing that the house should be open to all true wor- 
shipers of God. But here the sect refused the house, 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 339 

the preaching of the truth on the former occasion having 
been too much for them.* 

In August of this year ( 1 886) was held the first of the 
annual grove- or camp-meetings in the Beaver Dam vicin- 
ity. It was in W. W. Ballenger's grove. For the next 
five years the annual camp-meeting was held in J. Kuhn's 
woods; and then, beginning in 1892, it was held for five 
years in D. Leininger's woods. Beginning with 1897 
this meeting has since been held on the beautiful ground 
overlooking Yellow Lake. 

Before attending the Indiana grove-meeting in August, 
Brother Warner felt impressed that from that meeting 
he should labor on a line eastward from that place. In 
conjunction with this came urgent calls from that direc- 
tion, and brethren even made preparation for his coming 
before asking him. The first place was Areola, Ind. 
We quote from his report in which he speaks of this part 
of his trip: 

On Friday morning, August 13, with our heart melting with 
pure parental love for our child, we kissed his innocent cheek 
and left him in silent slumber, not daring to wake him lest his 
little heart should break with grief at our departure, and our 
soul also be filled with sorrow at his pitiful tears. God, thou 
knowest the abundance of thy grace that enables us to tear away 
from this affectionate child! The poor boy has recently been 
sick insomuch that many of the saints despaired of his life. 
Lord, only thou knowest the great trial of our soul when we felt 
the awful sickness of our boy, by the Spirit of God, while we 
were making up the last Trumpet at Williamston, and packing 

*On the second Sunday the meeting was held in the grove. 
After the people had assembled a very frightful storm threatened, 
and people begun to leave. Brother Warner stopped in the midst 
of his preaching, and with his hand lifted to heaven prayed God 
to scatter the storm and not let it hinder the meeting. He assured 
the people that they need not leave, that it would not rain. Some 
had begun to depart but stopped to see whether his prayer would 
be answered. It did not rain. There were other instances of this 
kind in Brother Warner's career. 



340 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

the Office, which none of our company had 1 any experience in! 
Our presence was much needed, so that we did not feel per- 
mitted to go, though we keenly felt his sickness and told some 
of the saints that we felt he was sick. After suffering those 
feelings a week, we received a letter stating that he had been very 
low but was better. This took a great load off our heart, and a 
few days later a secondi letter stated that through the laying on 
of hands in prayer the Lord had gloriously healed the poor little 
fellow. 

Oh, praise our God for his great mercy toward us, that he 
has spared our soul the great sorrow of such a bereavement as 
would have been the departure of this last and dear-beloved 
friend in the flesh! And yet we know that had the blessed Lord 
seen fit to take him, as in all the trials of the past we would 
have been "exceeding joyful in all our tribulations." This trial 
of our faith was a great blessing to us. It gave us a sure evidence 
that notwithstanding ,our intense love for the child we could leave 
him in the hands of God, and feel sweetly resigned to his will who 
had worked for us elsewhere. We found the precious boy feeling 
well, but still so slim and poor that it touched our heart to look 
upon his lean face. The Lord bless Brother Leininger's family, 
with whom the child was staying during his sickness, and all the 
beloved saints who did all they could for the comfort and help 
of the dear boy. 

We started at three o'clock in the morning, the Lord having 
sent a glorious shower before us to cool the air and put away the 
dust. As the day began to break, we were blessed in looking 
at the sublime and beautiful clouds which Father piled up in 
the heavens, of every shape, tint, and hue. Looking to the north 
we saw the perfect form of a great hand pointing to the East, and 
the Spirit of God filled our heart as we acknowledged it the hand 
of our Father, and that we were going in the direction Father was 
pointing. We felt something like Nehemiah must have felt when 
he said, "The hand of the Lord is good upon me." 

We sang the praises of God much of the way, and the gentle 
breezes carried the sweet sound over the surrounding country. 
Once we finished a hymn just as we were ascending a hill. At 
the top of the hill, to our right, stood a house. The song had 
sounded on ahead of us and found an echo in the heart of a 
blessed old mother in Israel, who was clapping her hands and 
shouting the praises of God, and who waved her hand and 
nodded her head toward us as we came opposite the house, as 





Two of the "homes" where Brother Warner and the earlier evange- 
lists and workers always found a welcome. The upper residence is 
that of Joseph F. Smith, near Grand Junction, Mich.; the lower one 
that of David Leininger, near Beaver Dam, Ind. 




These two old buildings, now crumbling to decay, were used thirty-five 
years ago as houses of worship by the saints at and around Grand Junc- 
tion, Mich. The one in the upper picture, known as "Smith's," is about 
three and one half miles northwest of Grand Junction; and the other, 
known as the "log house," is about the same distance northeast of that 

place 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 341 

good as to say, "I felt the Spirit of God in the song and it has 
set my soul on fire." Oh, how it stirred our soul as we saw the 
joyful demonstrations of the dear old sister! We reached our 
destination in good time and had a blessed meeting that night. 

That his frail body should endure the strenuous evan- 
gelistic work — the much travel, loss of sleep, and the 
strain of preaching and laboring for souls — as well as 
editing and writing for the Trumpet, is in itself a miracle. 
On more than one occasion, when he was exhausted, he 
was miraculously strengthened by the power of the Spirit. 
The following is a portion of his account of the meeting at 
Antwerp, Ohio, held while on this tour: 

Having labored hard all day in the Lord, our body was so worn 
that we felt scarcely able to stand on our feet, so closed the 
meeting about dark. But finding some unsaved souls had just 
come who seemed concerned about salvation, we asked God 1 to 
touch our body with renewed strength. Praise God, he did as we 
asked. We called the people to order and renewed the battle 
of the Lord for the rescue of perishing souls at stake. Praise 
God, a rich harvest of souls followed. We labored on until after 
ten o'clock. Two or three times we announced the meeting 
closed, when other souls were found under conviction and were 
constrained by the Spirit of God to yield. About eight were con- 
verted and a few sanctified through the blood. The work was 
wrought in mighty power. Strong men shouted in their new-born 
joys sent down from heaven by the sweet Spirit of adoption. Oh, 
what a heavenly sight! Even little boys, who had just found the 
Lord, were so powerfully blessed of God that they clapped their 
hands and leaped with the glory. In twenty years of labor for 
God we never saw anything like it. It verily seemed their 
little bodies must burst asunder by the power of the Spirit. . . . 

Every meeting is getting richer and more wonderful. my 
Lord, whereunto will this great kingdom yet grow? Truly the 
saints of the Most High have taken the kingdom and the dominion 
and the greatness of the kingdom under the wKoIe heaven. 

Leaving his company at Jerry City, Ohio, he returned 
to Van Buren County, Mich., long enough to attend the 
assembly at Geneva Center where saints from over an 



342 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

extensive territory were gathered. He makes the follow- 
ing reference to this meeting : 

Tuesday afternoon, the great day of the feast, near the begin- 
ning of the service, we sang, Perishing Souls at Stake, when the 
Holy Sprit overwhelmed all our souls with the awful condition of 
this dark world and the worth of millions of souls who would 
receive the pure gospel and be saved if it were brought to them. 
Oh, how all our hearts were melted in sympathy for "perishing 
s,ouls at stake today ! " 

Up to that time we had been looking for one of the dear 
ministerial brethren to work with us; but then we said, Lord, 
send them everywhere, and we will trust thee to 'make all grace 
abound unto us, so that we always, having all sufficiency in all 
things, may abound unto every good work.' Through the Lord 
Jesus Christ we feel abundantly able to do as much preaching 
and laboring with souls as one man would be supposed to per- 
form, and also one man's work with the pen. . . . 

How beautiful the sight ,of God's host, all mustered to the 
battle by the Lord himself! No jealousy, strife, and selfish 
manipulation for, the best places and fattest fields. Every soul 
feels that he has the very best place while he abides in Christ 
and Christ abides in us. Oh, what fools the devil has made of 
poor blind Babylonians whose backs are galded by the sect 
harness and whose hearts are often crushed beneath the sect 
machinery! We speak from experience. F,or ten years we felt 
this cold, heartless heel of selfish oppression. More than once 
we wet pur pillow with the tears that the accursed Baal-idol 
pressed from our wounded heart. By the grace of God we shall 
"render unto her double," as God hath commanded us. 

Instead of wire-pulling and ungodly plotting against one 
another, and each one greedily looking for his meat from his 
quarter, each worker in the Lord's vineyard is looking t,o the 
Lord to guide his feet in the paths of His own will. And all 
go out in perfect freedom whither the Lord will and yet all 
work in perfect harmony, under the sweet and heavenly manage- 
ment of the Holy Spirit. 

Of his return to Ohio and of an attempt by a mob to 
capture and mistreat him we have his account in the 
Trumpet of Nov. 1 . 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 343 

After the assembly of the saints in Michigan, we returned 
to our little company of fellow workers in Ohio; found them all 
together at dear Brother and Sister Miller's, at Jerry City. 
Praise God, it was joyful to our souls to meet all well again. 
How all hearts praised God for the tidings of his wonderful 
works in the assembly! Of course dear Brother Barney began 
to bound like a rubber ball, almost to the ceiling, when he 
learned of the salvation of his brother William. Doubtless 
angels in heaven took a part in the celebration of God's holy 
praises. . . . 

October 1 we came to Bro. S. Phillips', near Rising Sun. We 
held some meetings in a house on his place. We enjoyed 
preaching the glorious gospel of Christ to the people that came 
together there. . . . 

October 7, we moved a few miles farther east and one mile 
north, to the house of dear Bro. Daniel Roush, where we invited 
the neighbors together to hear the word of the Lord. The room 
soon proved too small, and the weather being pleasant, we 
obtained a tent from Brother Phillips, that covered about 18x20 
feet, which we attached to one end of a large porch; these 
together made quite a good meeting-room. The Lord helped 
us to preach the glorious gospel of Christ, and we poured out 
the vials of God's wrath upon every evil way. The Lord worked, 
and souls were saved almost every day. 

Thursday, October 14, the Lord sent a very strong wind 
and we had to take the tent down. That night we held the 
meeting in the house. The night being dark and rainy, the 
congregation was not very large. While we were preaching the 
word, suddenly in rushed 

A BLACK MOB 
About fifteen or more of the baser sort, who were drunk and 
mad on the wine of Babylon, with their faces blackened, sprang 
into the room and seized upon us and started to take us out. 
Brethren quickly saw the situation and were not slow in our 
help. But the room being seated with backed seats, and the 
space between us and thd door being all occupied by the sons 
of Belial, not many saints could get near us. The enemies 
of the Lord all having hold of each other and the front ones 
hold on us, we were pretty rapidly drawn to the door. But a 
few of the little ones were pulling back with all their might. 



344 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Brother Barney and Sister Frankie Miller were in the hottest 
of the fight! Mother and Nan could not get to us. 

Halleluiah! We praised God every step and felt the perfect 
peace of God in our souls. Bro. George Roush had hold on our 
left arm and was our principal stay. The black clan, knowing him 
as a very strong man, thought to beat him loose from his hold 
on us; but he received the blows on his face without slacking 
his hold. God bless that brother. The Lord did not suffer him 
to be hurt to amount to anything. One of the black clan 
brought with him a pretty wieldy little cudgel, which Bro. Jacob 
Roush grabbed and wrested out of his hands. And being an 
officer of the law, of whom the Word of the Lord says, "He bear- 
eth not the sword [or club] in vain," he began to apply it vigor- 
ously on the black heads. Up to this second the contest stood 
in breathless uncertainty. We were hauled to the very thresh- 
hold, and all the desperadoes were determined to have their vic- 
tim. Once the threshold crossed, we were to be dragged out 
into the dark night to suffer all that Satan might dictate in 
the hearts of fiendish Catholic sect idolaters and wicked sinners. 
But all at once the Spirit said to our soul, "I will not leave 
thee in the hands of the wicked." Almost immediately every 
black hand let go and fled. Glory be to our God, he always 
causes us to triumph through Christ Jesus. 

The little ones said it looked as though we should be pulled 
to pieces, but, praise God, not a hair of our head was harmed, 
not a muscle strained, and not a thread of our clothes torn. 
Glory to Jesus for his precious deliverance of us out of the 
jaws of the fierce beasts! It was reported that their intention 
was to strip us and give us a good lashing with whips and then 
seive us with a dessert of rotten eggs. We praised God for 
their defeat, but believe we should have praised him and leaped 
still more with the glory in our soul had he seen fit to let the 
wicked accomplish their end. After the struggle we sang a 
hymn of praise to God and resumed our discourse in the Spirit 
of the Lord. 

Before we came to the place, our eyes rested on 1 Thess. 2:1, 
2, and as we read, the Spirit gave us the words as descriptive of 
what we should meet. Praise God, we were willing to be 
shamefully entreated for Christ's sake and were none the less 
"bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much 
contention," "knowing that our entrance in unto you was not 
in vain." 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 345 

The night before the black mob came we dreamed of fighting 
black dogs, which finally fled from before our face. Some were 
apprehensive they would repeat the attack, and there were all 
kinds of "rumors of wars." Had we not been saved above all 
fears we should havie escaped out of that place as soon as 
possible, but we remained over the following Sabbath. 

From Ohio the course of our little company of evangel- 
ists turned westward again. While they were holding 
meeting at Payne, Ohio, Brothers Williams and Yoder, 
from LaGrange County, Ind., arrived to convey them 
seventy-two miles back to Brushy Prairie, Ind. On their 
return they reached a point near Antwerp, Ohio, the first 
evening. As soon as they came into the neighborhood 
the news was sounded out, and the house where they 
were stopping was quickly filled with people who had 
come to hear the words of eternal life. 

When we landed there, we began to think of our bodies, and 
felt sorry the word had gone out announcing a meeting. We 
had been up, some until twelve, and others until two o'clock, 
the night before, and wishing to start by daylight on a fifty-five 
mile drive the next day, it seemed that the rest was a matter 
of necessity. But as the people came together, our hearts, 
burdened for lost souls, soon forgot circumstances, and the meet- 
ing continued till eleven o'clock. All glory to our God, who is 
'able to make all grace abound unto us, so that we always having 
all sufficiency in all things may abound unto every good work.' 

Meetings were held in LaGrange County, Ind., after 
which the company were conveyed in a two-days journey 
by lumber-wagon, to Beaver Dam.* While engaged in 
meetings in this part of the State he was called home to 
the Office again, to assist with the third edition of the 
song-book. The Publishing Office by this time had been 
moved to Grand Junction, Van Buren County, Mich. 

*An interesting episode in connection with this trip is related by 
Bro. D. Leininger, of Beaver Dam, whose mother, known as Mother 
Krause, was at this time not expected to live. Mother Krause had 
for some cause held a slight grievance against Brother Warner. 
Early in December, on the night before she died, she declared she 



346 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Brother Fisher, having gone to the Office, wrote for us to 
come also, as we were needed. The interest of the meeting 
was such that we thought we should by no means leave. But 
as we fasted and prayed, the Spirit of God bade us go immedi- 
ately, assuring us that he would put his Spirit on dear Bro. Barney 
Warren and cause him to preach the word to the people. . . . 

Though the little ones were loath to have us leave so suddenly, 
the grace of God enabled all to say, "Amen." and in a few 
moments we were on our way to the station, and several hours 
ride on Father's swift chariots landed us at the Trumpet Office 
once more, after an absence of five months. 

Oh, praise God for his glorious blessings upon our soul and 
body! Having had no ministerial help, preaching nearly all 
the time twice a day, with much altar-work, singing, etc., besides 
doing one man's writing keeping the Trumpet filled and attending 
to a large correspondence, hymn-writing, etc., it is wonderful, 
a constant miracle, how God can do so much through a poor, 
naturally frail body. We scarcely get six hours sleep out of 
tweny-four. Glory to God, we do love this holy war for our 
God against the powers of hell and for the rescue of perishing 
souls. If the Lord saw fit to keep us working the whole time 
day and night, and sustained us, we should say, Amen. 

Oh, how glad we were to see the beloved little ones at home 



must see Brother Warner and begged to have him sent for. She 
was told that Brother Warner was over in La Grange County, 
quite a distance away, and that if the Lord wanted her to see him 
he would spare her life until she should have that opportunity. 
Scarcely had this been said when Brother Warner arrived, to the 
surprize of all. 

Two days before, where he had been holding meetings, he ex- 
pressed the conviction that the Spirit bade him go to Beaver Dam. 
Accordingly it was decided to go. and he resumed his writing, at 
which he had been engaged, until the time to start. Perceiving 
that no preparations were being made he dropped his pen and asked 
the cause. He was told that the weather was inclement and that 
traveling would be disagreeable. He said. ' ' Xever mind the 
weather; the Lord, can take care of that. The Lord says, 'Go to 
Beaver Dam'." Thus it was that he and his company were 
prompted to make the trip. Landing at Bro. William Ballenger 's, 
they stayed over night. In the latter part of the night Brother 
Warner awoke Brother Ballenger and said he must go to see Mother 
Krause immediately. 

Mother Krause died the following evening, but not before she 
was comforted by the presence of Brother Warner. 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 347 

once more! God bless their souls. How grateful we are to 
God for the faithful labors of these dear ones. Truly they 
endure all things for the elect's sake, that their fingers may 
send forth the bread of heaven to the hungry souls. Dear 
brethren, when you read the Trumpet so eagerly do not forget 
to pray for those blessed children who are so devoted to this 
great work. We were in hopes that God would give us the 
sweet luxury of some nights' rest with the little ones at home. 
But lo, here came the dear saints from every direction wishing 
Brother Joseph and us to come here and there to preach for 
them. . . . 

^"hen we left our little company we expected to return soon 
again, but as the second edition of Songs of Victory is nearly 
exhausted we have to remain here to help print the third edition 
soon. 

Praise God, nearly thirty-five hundred books have gone forth 
singing the praises of God. May God speed all his flying angels 
with the everlasting gospel to this dark and wretched world, so 
near its awful doom. Amen. 

Brother Warner remained at the Office until early in 
March, when, by agreement, he met his little company 
again at Walkerton, Inch, where they had held meetings 
almost a year before. Frankie Miller refers in her diary 
to their meeting in Walkerton on the night of their arrival 
there. 

That night we all met at Brother Barden's to worship God. 
After the meeting had nicely begun, in walked Brother Warner. 
Well, it is needless to say we were all very thankful to see his 
dear face again. He said that this was the second time he had 
been mobbed. The first time was by the black mob near Rising 
Sun, Ohio, and the second time was this time by the White 
Horse Cavalry. 

Sister Miller also relates an instance of healing that 
occurred before they left Walkerton. 

Wednesday morning, the 13th, Brother Wolfenberger came 
out to Brother Barden's, where we were, before breakfast. His 
little boy five years old was very sick with spinal disease and had 
high fever. The doctors held a council over him the day before. 



348 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

We all went over about nine o'clock. The doctor was there. 
The little fellow was crying, and burning up with fever. He 
had not eaten anything but a little scraped apple since Saturday. 
The doctor tried to open his eyes, and wanted to put a fly 
blister on his spine. Brother Warner told the parents that 
if they wanted toi put the case in God's hands they must drop 
the doctor and his medicines and take Christ alone for their 
physician. They were both willing, and said they believed God 
would heal the child. After looking to God in prayer, Brother 
Warner anointed the child in the name of Jesus, and we 
laid on hands, and God healed the little sufferer. Oh, praise 
God for his goodness! The fever was broken^ and he sweat 
freely and opened his eyes very bright and asked for a cookie. 
He ate two cookies and some bologna very greedily, and teased 
to be dressed and go to the depot: with his papa after his sister's 
satchel. 

The daughter had been attending school in Auburn, and they 
telegraphed for her, thinking the child could not live. Before 
we reached the place, the daughter had gone to Qod in prayer 
asking him to pardon her sins and to save her little brother. 
After the child was healed, a young woman working in the family, 
who had been bitter against the power of God and against us, 
fell on her knees and cried to God for mercy, and she received 
the spirit of adoption. She was a member of the United Brethren 
without a spark of salvation. 

We present extracts from Brother Warner's report 
of this second meeting at Walkerton. 

Here we set the battle in array last April in a two weeks 
siege. Hell was moved to the bottomless pit. Babylon foamed 
and howled, and, like the ancient Pharisees, stirred up the people 
to "shamefully entreat us," as they did Paul at Phillipi. But, 
thank God, in the fires of persecution and storms of opposition 
God saved a few souls, and these we find standing fast; and a 
few others the Lord has added to his own church, who are prais- 
ing God for the great salvation. We soon found that the gospel 
of Christ had grown much in the favor of the people. The 
Lord God of power had greatly turned the minds and hearts of 
the people to endorse and love the truth. Men of principle 
gave all to understand that if they attempted to disturb our 
meetings again as they had before they must suffer the applica- 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 349 

tion of the law. Praise God, the people heeded the warning, 
and God also inclined them to give good attention. 

We occupied a very large hall for two weeks and had it well 
filled with hearers. Multitudes were under deep conviction, 
but were unwilling to pay the price of real salvation. Several, 
however, were saved by the power and grace of God, converted 
and sanctified, and a few made their escape fully out of Babylon 
and were wonderfully blessed of the Lord. Were it not for 
shoddy holiness and stagnant pools of sectish religion in the way 
of God's salvation, a great harvest of souls could be brought to 
Jesus. But the corrupt preachers in this place will have to 
answer for the awful influence that is damning multitudes of 
poor sinners, both in and out of their sect enclosures. On the 
last two nights of our meeting, there was also meeting in the 
Methodist house in the town. Some of that sect were greatly 
convicted to escape out of her; but we could feel the influence 
of those meetings as sensibly as if the Holy Spirit were in- 
carnate and were being literally crucified in the town, as the Spirit 
and Word were killed "in the streets of the great city, which spirit- 
ually is called Sodom and Egypt" (Rev. 11:8). Oh, how sensibly 
we felt the "fellowship of the suffering" of Jesus Christ! While 
the sweet peace of God flows a deep, everlasting undercurrent 
in our souls, we often feel the slaughter of immortal spirits in the 
streets of Babylon until our heart sickens and we long to leave 
this world and be with Jesus. But like the apostle, we always 
conclude that "for us to live is Christ"; and the rescue of 
perishing souls from the brink of hell fires us with a willingness 
to expose our soul to the hatred and jeers, violence and murder 
in hearts that are drunk on the wine of beast religion. The 
United Brethren preacher at this place, whom Satan used with 
such diligence against the work when we were here last year, 
was much tormented by our return. "The wine of the wrath 
of her fornication" so foamed in his heart that, we were told by 
good authority, he said that he wished we were stripped, tarred 
and feathered, and then set on fire, and added that he would 
like to touch the match himself. And this wretched priest of 
Baal professes sanctification, and frequently leads the Babylon 
holiness band's meetings. Today we were told that he regretted 
much that his words came to our ears. That is like the thief 
that repented bitterly, not of his theft, but that he was caught in 
the deed. 



350 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

A sister came in from the country and received full salvation. 
There being a union meeting-house in the community, she and 
others desired us to come there and preach the gospel. We 
agreed to do so on Sabbath evening if the house could be ob- 
tained. She thought there would be no difficulty. But as soon 
as the matter became known, a Methodist local preacher pf the 
vicinity began to rage. He came to Walkerton on Saturday and, 
"foaming out his shame" before the people, declared that if we 
attempted to enter that pulpit he would "break our head," "break 
our neck," "kill us," etc. 

Bishop Foster speaks of his M. E. sect as follows: "Oh, how 
changed! A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, a truck- 
ling, a time-serving ministry, without faith„ endurance, and 
holy power." Through this corrupt ministry "worldly socials, 
festivals, concerts, and such like, have taken the place of the 
religious gatherings, revival meetings, class- and prayer-meetings 
of the past. Oh, how changed!" Yes, saith the prophet, 
"How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judg- 
ment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy 
silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: thy princes 
are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth 
gifts, and followeth after rewards" (Isa. 1 :21-23). 

Surely we have come to the last days. For, "this know 
also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men 
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, 
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without 
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, 
despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, 
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of 
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" 
(2 Tim. 3:1-5), 

Yea, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the 
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a 
cage of every unclean! and hateful bird." 

Oh, the rottenness, fierce hatred, and soul-murdering wicked- 
ness of sect Babylon! If there were only one hundred pro- 
fessors of Christ in the United States, and they all holy men 
and women of God, filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, walking 
unto all pleasing 1 , before God and exemplifying the pure life of 
Christ before men, and this generation had never known any other 
kind of professors of Christ, the masses of the people could 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 351 

be rapidly reached by the gospel of Jesus and saved from sin. 
But the devil has the world piled up with corrupt, proud, 
filthy, sectish religionists, 'professing that they know God; but in 
works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and 
unto every good work reprobate' (Tit. 1:16). 

And because God has given us an honest heart to confess 
the sins of the professed Christendom and show the people 
that Christ is not the author of this mass of spiritual whoredom 
and abominable wickedness, which has filled hell with lost souls 
and covered the earth with blackness and infidelity, the devil 
howls and rages in his sectish priests, who are ready to murder 
us as the Jews did Christ, Stephen, and thousands of other 
martyrs who testified against them and their evil deeds. 

As we shall have to meet the people of Walkerton and sur- 
roundings face to face in the day of judgment, God holds us re- 
sponsible to tell them that the greatest obstruction to the salva- 
tion of souls is their shoddy, sectish holiness and their abominable, 
worldly religion. 

Up to the summer of 1887 the evangelistic efforts of 
Brother Warner and his company were confined to the 
States of the Middle West. But now came a more 
extensive tour, that should take them as far West as Den- 
ver, Colo. On June 24 they left the Office and after 
a few meetings in LaGrange and Jay Counties, Ind., de- 
parted for the West. They stopped at Gilman and 
Onarga, 111., and Hayesville, Iowa. From Keokuk, 
Iowa, they traveled by steamboat to St. Louis, where the 
following report was written : 

"Oh, praise the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name to- 
gether!" We have just landed here from the steamboat Sidney, 
having had a very delightful trip down the Mississippi from 
Keokuk. We made the trip of two hundred miles in twenty hours. 
The river being very low at this time, much caution was necessary 
to avoid running aground. Doubtless one hundred miles were 
traveled in passing from one side of the river to the other to 
keep the deepest channel. 

We were a day and a night at Keokuk, waiting the coming 
of the boat. The Gem City was to have reached Keokuk the 
first day and then return down the river; but being late she 



352 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

turned around at Quincy and started back, leaving us to wait 
until the next day. Praise God, we confessed his all-wise hand 
in the matter and thanked him for the prolonged wait, believing 
it was all ordered of him. This morning about daybreak we 
passed the Gem City, she having stuck fast in the sand. So the 
Lord was good to his little ones and gave us a safe and very 
joyful voyage. Oh, the goodness and wisdom of God our 
heavenly Father for placing the great rivers and lakes in the 
earth as a beautiful means of travel! It is so much more 
pleasant than by railroad. Though the speed is not more than 
half so great, we can very pleasantly improve the time reading 
and writing. However, this trip was so wonderfully enjoyed 
by us that we could c|o no more than feast upon the beauties 
of nature and praise the Lord. The river abounds in beautiful 
green islands, and all her verdant banks are delightful. Just 
below the mouth of the Illinois river, for a few miles, the hand 
of God has skilfully carved out of the high rocky shore very 
beautiful scallops and great piers and towers, and even some 
appearances of partly ruined mansions and rustic stone buildings. 

No one else on board the vessel seemed to be delighted 
with these vast and beautiful works as were our company, because 
unacquainted with our dear Father, whose hand of love has 
formed them all. Oh, how blessed the pure in heart who see God 
all along the voyage of life! What a vastly different aspect 
everything wears when looked at in the light of God! Oh, how 
poor and meager the pleasures of the children of this world! 
How utterly tasteless and empty their thoughts and conversation! 
No place on earth serves better to call out the glories of a life 
hid with Christ in God in its striking contrast with the dark 
minds and almost senseless twaddle pf the aliens than the deck 
of a steamboat. Even the; more elevated seldom have a worthy 
thought on immortal mind; while every object our eyes lighted 
upon in the passing panorama of nature inspired our souls with 
joyful acknowledgments of God, and moved our hearts and 
lips to praise his name. Oh, what a rapturous and heavenly 
kingdom we live in, all flashing with glory and yet hidden 
from the blinded sinners! Having lost our lives for Christ's 
sake we are raised to the heavenly joys of the life of God in us, 
a life pf bliss, that already transcends the sinner's loftiest ideal 
of heaven itself. Oh, the beauties of holiness! "Out of 
Zion the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." Never in all 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 353 

past experience has our heart flowed out more in gratitude to 
God for the inexpressible bliss of a pure conscience, a pure 
heart through the blood of Christ, an innocent life through grace 
divine, a conversation in heaven flowing from a good treasure 
in the heart, and, above all, a soul illuminated and inspired to 
see and enjoy God in every bright sunbeam that gleams on earth 
and sparkles in the silvery stream and every object upon the 
footstool of God. 

God is love; the angels know 
That Father dearly loves us so. 
But, oh, the ransomed feel within 
The burning lovel we try to sing! 

This evening we start for St. James, Mo., the Lord willing, 
where we expect to meet once more our dear Bro. J. Cole, and 
many others dear to our hearts by the fellowship of the Spirit 
whose faces we have never seen. And best of all, we are expect- 
ing a glorious harvest of souls turned to righteousness by the 
mighty power and love of God. 

The next report was written from St. James, Craw- 
ford County, one hundred miles west of St. Louis. Bro. 
B. E. Warren says that after buying their tickets for 
St. James they had but seven cents left, and that after 
arriving at the latter place Brother Warner went to the 
post-office and received a letter containing five dollars 
from S. L. Speck, who felt led of the Lord to send that 
amount. Brother Warner's account of their reception in 
St. James, as follows, is interesting: 

The night following our last report, which was from St. Louis, 
Mo., we landed at St. James, at 12:30 A. M. The Lord directed 
us to a friendly inn, where we rested until the morning. As we 
sat at the breakfast-table our grateful hearts flowed out in our 
sweet little table thanksgiving song. The Lord wonderfully 
blessed that sweet offering of praise. It rang out and greeted 
the ears of all in hearing as the music of heaven. After meal, 
requests soon came in for songs. The Holy Spirit gloriously 
inspired our voices to sing his praises. Many people soon col- 
lected in front of the room and some came in. After a few 
hymns, we had family worship. We invited all that would come 



354 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

to come in and bow with us in prayer. Some did so. The Lord 
blessed our souls. Soon Bro. J. H. Morrison came into town, 
and seeing the throng in front of the hotel he asked the cause, 
and was told that "your people have come to town." He came 
into the waiting-room and introduced himself, and the Spirit of 
God gave us a joyful meeting. Sinners looked on with wonder 
and amazement, and were led to say, "These are truly the real 
children of God, and this is the right way," according to the 
words of our Savior, "By this shall all men know that ye are 
my disciples, if ye have love one for another." Many seemed 
quite serious. Had we tried to respond to the requests of the 
people we should have kept singing all day without cessation. 

The people desired Brother Morrison to keep us right there 
and have a meeting that night in town, saying they would see 
that all our expenses there should be paid. The landlady and 
family were also very anxious we should stay, and treated us 
with much kindness. The Lord reward them. The Methodist 
preacher also came to see what this Pentecost fire was that had 
come to town. When asked if we could have their meeting-house 
that night he replied that he was going to "begin a protracted 
meeting tonight." Suddenly the preacher concluded a protracted 
meeting was needed in his charge. Whoever heard of a Metho- 
dist minister commencing a protracted meeting in the month of 
July in the latitude of central Missouri, especially since that 
sect has gone spiritually ta( the frigid zone where, as their oldest 
living bishop says, "spirituality is frozen to death"? Quite a 
capacious hall was procured and well filled, and we enjoyed 
preaching the precious gospel to the people. About all received 
the word. The M. E. meeting consisted of three or four women, 
and was not further protracted. 

The day of our arrival here came also dear Bro. C. C. Knight, 
from Fulton, 111., with tent and equipment to accompany us on 
our Western campaign. He is full of faith and the Holy Ghost 
and is a good help in the work. 

The next day we moved out to the camp-ground, which is 
about ten miles from St. James and near the Merrimac River. 
Here we met our dearly beloved Brother Cole, who spent a year 
with us in Michigan a few years ago; also his sister Mary, a 
chosen and anointed instrument of God to preach and testify the 
gospel of the grace of God. 

At this camp-meeting the little company were to en- 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 355 

counter a new problem. As soon as they arrived at the 
place of meeting they were accorded a strange reception. 
Those who were supposed to be saints at that place came 
to meet them, some dancing on one leg, some rolling their 
eyes in their head, others gibbering in tongues, or jerk- 
ing, or falling stiff, etc. At first they did not know what 
to make of the strange performance. At this place also 
was another attempt by a mob to capture Brother War- 
ner. His report continues: 

We met also a much larger host of saints than we had expected 
to find in this country. Praise God for this! Butj oh, how soon 
we saw and felt that Satan, the deceiver, had passed a dreadful 
network of deception over them, or nearly all of them! Un- 
seemly and even hideous operations and contortions were carried 
on and called the manifestations of the Spirit and power of God. 
We began at once to rebuke it in the name of the Lord Jesus. 
God gloriously blessed our souls in preaching his word and 
assured us that he had much people there who were honest and 
sincere at heart and who would be delivered by the presentation 
of his word. The suppose^ gift of tongues was alarmingly in- 
creasing. Indian war-dances, etc., had turned the church of 
God into something quite different, a disgusting maze of confu- 
sion. We were helped of God in teaching them "how they ought 
to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church 
of the living God." 

A terrible nervous jerking had seized upon many in the meet- 
ings, which in some cases resembled much St. Vitus' dance. We 
speak of these things in order to give the saints of God every- 
where the benefit of what these precious souls have learned in 
the dear school of experience. We had never seen such mani- 
festation except in persons possessed with devils, and yet the 
Spirit of God showed us these were not so possessed, but were, 
for the most part, still owned of the Lord. We read 1 Cor. 12, 
13, 14, and showed the beautiful harmony of the church under 
the control of the Spirit of God; that Move does not behave itself 
unseemly'; that the gift of tongues was not of general usefulness, 
and was a sign to the Jews, not generally edifying to the church; 
that other gifts should be sought in preference, and unless he or 
some one else interpret, the person having the gift should keep 



356 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

silent or speak to himself; that 'five words with the understanding 
is better than ten thousand in an unknown tongue'; that spas- 
modic jerking is not mentioned in the Bible as a manifestation 
of God's Spirit, but is ascribed to a malignant spirit. 

We renounced that working as of the devil. It seems that 
one brother who had been powerfully charged by the Holy Spirit 
had become puffed up, which gave place to this satanic working. 
Then Satan made it the standard of being filled with the Spirit 
and power of God; therefore many earnestly prayed for it. 
They forgot that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us only 
according ta the will of God, and whatsoever one prays for out- 
side the will of God must be suggested by some other spirit. And 
as God has not promised to answer such a prayer, the devil steps 
in and answers it. And now, since delivered, the dear saints see 
and confess that the incoming of this power dimmed their faith, 
joy, and peace. It was nothing less than Satan touching and 
playing upon their nerves and upon their imaginations. Their 
motives having been good, namely, to seek the real power of 
God, their consciences were not defiled — at least, with most of 
them. But some were much blinded and puffed up of the devil. 
Satan had free access to their minds under the cloak of the 
Spirit of God. Those who were not affected by the foolish jerk- 
ing of the devil were judged by the devil and made to believe 
they did not have the Spirit of God because they did not jerk. 
Thus all were under depression and more or less bewildered. Oh, 
how our souls were saddened at the sight! dear saints of 
God everywhere, do not ascribe to the Spirit of God ludicrous 
and unbecoming conduct, such as chattering like a coon or 
barking like a dog, and all hideous looks! 

Well, praise God, the word of God was received. Some at first 
resented, but God soon convicted them and they became teach- 
able. Nearly all the foolish stuff was rid out of the camp after 
one discourse explaining and renouncing it. Intelligent sinners 
respected the truth of God that exposed the devil's counterfeit, 
and some who loved the true church wept for joy to see the 
abomination put away. From that time God led one after anoth- 
er to confess that spiritual joy and true faith began to depart 
out of their hearts from the time of receiving the jerks. Many 
came bowing at the altar, and the glorious work of cleansing 
went forward. 

The truth of God was published against all the works of the 
devil by the power of the Holy Spirit. Some sect preachers. 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 357 

filled with the beast spirit and the very devil himself, were very 
much enraged against the word of the Lord, which had laid open 
the rottenness of their hearts. Hence they spewed out their 
shame and foamed exceedingly. On Tuesday night, after meet- 
ing, we all lay down to rest, being wearied with the arduous 
labors of the day. A masked mob aroused us from our much- 
needed sleep and ordered all to pack up and leave the grounds 
in half an hour. They were armed with staves and rocks. Well, 
the saints arose and packed up, praising God for peace and 
comfort in their souls, not fearing the poor set of sinners who 
knew not that they were persecuting the Savior. They made 
diligent inquiry for us all about the camp. We were doubtless 
the special victim marked by their rankling hatred; but the Lord 
delivered us out of their hands. Oh, praise the Lord with me 
and let us exalt his name together! 

The next morning early some saints drove back to the ground 
to get some things that had been left, and there came the 
preachers who had been howling with torment and sorrow be- 
cause of the sword of the Lord, and even gnawing their tongues 
for pain, and who were generally believed to have been in the 
clan the night before, and one of them even recognized. They 
asked with much affected surprize what had happened, and 
began to declare and even to swear in the presence of God that 
they knew nothing of the movement and were not in it, though 
one of them confessed he was glad of it. This they did without 
having been accused. One brother said, "A guilty conscience 
needs no accuser; you plead guilty before accused." . . . 

Well, praise God, the next morning, after a few hours* sleep, 
we were called up to! join some little ones in asking God to heal 
a child that was suffering with the croup. The good Lord 
instantly did the work. Others followed, some for healing, others 
for complete deliverance from every taint of the devil. God 
himself gathered the saints at that place, and the day was de- 
voted to salvation work. Probably twenty-five or thirty souls 
were delivered from all the works of the devil and filled with the 
Spirit of God. Oh, what a mighty change has taken place here! 
Instead of gloomy and hideous looks, now shines the glory and 
beauties of holiness upon the joyful faces of the redeemed, and 
clear, ringing shouts of praises are pleasing to God. 

No meeting was announced for the next day, but the Lord 
gathered quite a number together again, and salvation work was 



358 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

resumed. On both days God so filled and possessed the meetings 
that there was not time for the slightest allusion to the mob 
workers of the devil. A stranger might have sat in the meeting 
the whole day and not received the faintest information of what 
had happened two nights ago. Praise God, these two days after 
driven out of camp were the most glorious and fruitful of all 
that we spent in these wild thickets. In spite of all that poor, 
pitiable ruffians could do, hissed on by wicked Babylonians, we 
are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 

We are now holding meetings a few days in the village of 
St. James. A large hall is crowded with attentive hearers, and 
the truth is mightily prevailing. Let alf the saints of God pray 
for us. We will continue tjo preach the whole truth and rebuke 
the works of the devil, even if this tour should end| in heaven. 
Halleluiah! 

Of these strange manifestations Bro. T. E. Ellis, who 
was one of those living in the vicinity and affected by the 
peculiar power that possessed the saints there, says: 

"We were under an influence similar to what the modern 
tongues people are under. We had different manifestations. 
Some would jerk spasmodically, some would fall and become 
stiff, some would dance, some would seem to have a kind of 
trance and a vision. Healing was claimed and the work seemed 
to be done. We had what we called the "unknown tongue" and 
an interpreter. A few talked similarly to the way modern 
tongues people talk nowadays. 

From St. James the company continued their tour to 
Carthage, in the southwestern part of the State. They 
also held meetings at a number of different points in south- 
ern Kansas and in southeastern Nebraska. The first 
paragraph of his report from! Chanute, Kans., was writ- 
ten while he was sick. We quote the first two paragraphs : 

It seems as distance stretches out between us and the dear 
loved ones with whom we have so often and joyfully worshiped 
God, that the love of God in our hearts is drawing us nearer 
together. I have never before felt the blessed, pure love of 
God burning so intensely in my heart for the dear household of 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 359 

God as lately. I can scarcely write to the beloved saints without 
tears dimming my eyes. dearly beloved, we can feel your 
daily fervent prayers in our behalf, and all our company desire 
to thank you, for them. 

We want to testify to the goodness of God. The foregoing 
lines were written by a very sick man, but now we continue 
writing, a well man. Oh, praise the Lord with me and let us 
exalt his name together! From early morn until 3 P. M. today 
we were very sick, unable to eat. Tried to write, but had to 
take the bed. Finally the Lord impressed us with earnest prayer. 
We called the little company and kneeled before God, and ph, 
our dear heavenly Father instantly healed our body, took away 
all bad feeling, raised our voice from the faint tones of a person 
just beginning to rise from a hard sick spell to clear loud shouts 
of praise! He also sent through our entire system the strength 
of high leaps, as well as the high praises of God. 

In a later report he shows how his health was main- 
tained by faith. 

For some time we have felt called of God to devote ourself 
more especially to the great duty of writing some works of pres- 
ent truth, and we expect to do so after the present tour. With 
this fact coming oft before our mind, we began unconsciously 
to relax our faith by which in our natural frailty we kept up 
sufficient strength for field labor. The presence of the ministerial 
brethren with us for some time also helped ease up our mind and 
drop our shield of faith by our side. The result was the devil 
had afflicted our poor weak body for several weeks. But, praise 
God, the Lord having in answer to prayer shown us what the 
trouble was, last Sabbath we rebuked the devil in the name of 
the Lord Jesus with a holy vehemence, and our soul and body 
sprang forth with a shout of victory, and, ( glory to our God, we 
have been wonderfully well and spiritually glorious ever since. 

From Waco, Nebr., the company traveled westward 
to Denver. The following are extracts from his report 
at that place: 

We stopped over a few hours in Lincoln, the capital of the 
State. We viewed with surprize the young city. Fourteen years 
ago when we visited the place it was small — now it numbers 



360 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

over twenty thousand inhabitants, more than double the size pf 
Lansing, Mich. 

That night, for the first time in all our travels, an accident 
occurred to our train, a slight collision with a freight-train 
several miles out of Lincoln. The engine being injured, we had 
to wait some hours until another was brought from the city. 
During this time there was a very violent wind. The car rocked 
on its springs like a load of hay passing over a rough road. But 
we lay down and slept sweetly, committing ourselves unto the 
Lord. That evening dear Bro. E. E. Byrum, at the office, had 
a great burden for our safety, as he wrote us the next day. But 
he prayed for us until the Lord by the Spirit answered him that 
we should be delivered from all harm. Oh, praise the Lord for 
his goodness and mercy toward us! For our safety he placed 
a burden on one nearly a thousand miles away, but allowed not 
the slightest anxiety on our minds. . . . 

Tuesday evening. December 6, our little company took train 
for Denver, five hundred miles more toward the setting sun. 
That night we stopped over and had a good night*s rest at 
McCook, Nebr. Took train again at 7 A. M. and went flying pver 
the prairie at a swift rate. Oh, what vast expanse of the broad 
prairie! Some parts are rough and broken, but the larger por- 
tion is beautiful and even and wanting only showers or irrigation 
to make a beautiful farming-country. . . . 

When about fifty miles from Denver, we observed strange blue 
banks to the west, which we first took to be dark clouds, but 
which we soon perceived were distant foot-hills of the Rocky 
Mountains. Plainer and higher they loomed up before our eyes 
as our swift train kept darting like an arrow toward the base. 
How beautiful and sublime the sight! Here at Denver we are 
twelve miles from the foot-mountains. They seem but a very 
short distance, especially when the morning sun shines brightly 
against their eastern sides. It seems impossible that they can 
be more than a mile and one half away. A person would surely 
suppose that he could walk over and back before breakfast. The 
foot-hills, rather mountains, are of a dark color, being covered 
by timber, and to all appearance just beyond them rise up the 
beautiful snow-covered range. To our astonishment we are 
told that fifty miles stretch out between them and that there is 
a fertile valley there with towns, etc. The snowy range being 
so much farther off seems to be but a little higher than the 
foot-mountains, and both ranges seem to stand together. In 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 361 

the morning they all seem so close that one would surely suppose 
a man could be seen if standing there in the snow. . . . 

It was quite a novelty to the company to see the many sod- 
houses we passed and dugouts in the hillsides. Sometimes there 
was scarcely anything to attract attention but a window door in 
a steep little hill. Sometimes we saw upon the level ground a 
roof about eight by ten covering a little underground house. 
Most of such were but herdsmen's dens. We have not yet begun 
to work here. Let all the saints pray earnestly for the work of 
salvation. 

The company remained in Denver ten weeks, holding 
meeting in various places. When they went to that city 
there were only four persons who were in the light of 
the truth, but they left a congregation of about forty 
who had taken their stand for the truth. Returning east- 
ward they stopped in York County, Nebr., where Brother 
Warner had labored in his Nebraska mission in 1873-4. 
A portion of his report from Wayland reads as follows : 

We preached and lived in this community thirteen and fourteen 
years ago, then a member of the sect wearing the stolen name of 
Church of God. The Lord blessed our labors in the salvation 
of some souls from their sins, and we had good meetings. There 
were very dear brethren and sisters here. But since our depar- 
ture the work has retrograded. Some of their preachers became 
horse jockeys, others jealous-hearted, dead formalists, too cold 
and dry to keep men awake, much less awaken and get any one 
converted. The one on the work up to the time of our coming 
here has preached here four years without the conversion of a 
single soul. During our meeting he resigned his charge, and we 
are told he has now hired himself to preach for the Christian 
sect at Wayland, some of the members of which were the most 
malignant enemies and opposers of the work of grace. An un- 
saved citizen declared the other evening that about all the bad 
behavior and interruption he had seen during our meetings was 
by the sinners of the sects. 

From Wayland the company went by way of Meriden 
and Atchinson, Kans., to Whiteside County, 111., where 
they held meetings near Albany and also near Fulton. 
The following is the report, in part, from Albany : 



362 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

We were happy to meet our dear beloved Brother Knight at 
his prairie home, four miles east of Fulton, and he leaped and 
skipped like a lamb to see us. The next day we all came eleven 
miles south to Bro. A., Byers', whose house is a happy home for 
the war-worn pilgrims. The people are receiving the word with 
much interest. After several days' work here and as long at 
Brother Knight's neighborhood we go: on homeward, for there is 
a great deal to do at home, some small works to print and the 
new song-book, Anthems From the Throne. Praise God for the 
precious and glorious songs he is sending us! The music is 
nearly all written by Brother Barney, whose inspiration in this 
gift is a marvel. . . . 

beloved, will you help us? A great responsibility rests upon 
us. While we are praising God for the precious light of heaven 
let us not forget others in darkness and exposed to the numerous 
pitfalls now threatening souls for whom Jesus died. Let no spirit 
of the devil nor any of his children tell you that we have any 
selfish motive in enlisting all willing and obedient hearts and 
hands in doing our duty in the rescuing of souls from Satan in 
every possible way. In the name of Jesus we spurn such mean- 
ness. God knows we do not draw; a breath for self, but 'for us 
to live is Christ.' Are we seeking self-interests, as wicked men 
have belied us? Where can any facts be cited upon which to 
base such an unkind assertion? On the present tour of nearly a 
year we have used about every cent we have received from the 
sale of books to supply the* needs of ourself and little company. 
So we go forth preaching night and day, exposing this poor frail 
body to the cruel, biting frosts and beating storms, and toiling 
about every moment with the pen except when in meetings or 
going to and! from, and in about six hours sleep, asking nothing 
for our labors either front God or man but the salvation of souls 
and the glory of God. . . . 

Life will soon be over. You must leave your earthly treasures 
in the hands of others. Whether they will leave it to serve God 
or the devil is not yet known. Therefore, had you not better 
put a little of it at least into God's bank, laying it up in heaven, 
where thieves do not break through and steal and where moth 
and rust do not corrupt? As we return home from this long tour 
we feel impressed of the Lord to devote ourself more fully to 
the preparation of matter for the press; and we shall pray God 
with all our soul to move men and women to provide the means 
to purchase paper and other supplies to send it forth. There 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 363 

should be some works sent forth by the million, free of cost. We 
feel sure that God will find willing hearts to help in the work, 
and shall toil on in full assurance that when we breathe our last 
we shall have this consolation, that we have done what we could 
to enlighten and save souls, for whom Jesus died upon the cross. 

The company arrived at Grand Junction, Mich., on 
April 25. Thus ended their Western tour, in which 
seed was sown in many hearts to spring up and bear 
fruit for God. 

Sister Frankie Miller said of this tour that it was 
marked by wonderful answers to prayer for rain. It 
seemed that wherever the company stopped on their 
way West in Illinois, Iowa, and the other States the 
country was suffering on account of drought. At every 
place their visit was either attended or followed by cop- 
ious showers. At one public service Mother Smith 
prayed earnestly for rain. There was not a single indica- 
tion of rain, but before the service was over the heavens 
blackened and rain fell in abundance. Thus all along 
their course the drought was broken. 

The summer of 1888 was spent in attending camp- 
meetings and visiting the churches in various places in 
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Early in 
the winter a tour was made into Ontario. They found a 
good many souls in that country who had come out for 
the truth. Their labors there were blessed in the salva- 
tion of others and in the sowing of the good seed. Of 
the country and people Brother Warner had this to say: 

We can say that we find a moderately fair farming-country, 
and we can not observe the slightest difference between the peo- 
ple here and in the States. More than ever we have learned 
that so long as governments allow a free, conscientious worship 
of God, their form is quite immaterial. We do not see that peo- 
ple have any special advantages by living in the States over 
what are enjoyed here. If any difference, farmers do not pay as 
heavy taxes here as in the States. Local option temperance laws 
are given to the people, and some counties have no saloons. 



364 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

And one blessed thing Canada has reason to thank God for is the 
fact that all liquor-selling establishments are strictly compelled 
to close early Saturday evening and not open until Monday morn- 
ing. This law enforced cuts off nearly one half the mischief of 
the nefarious business. Sabbath-observance is also far more 
complete here than in the States. We were blessed with good 
order and find the way open for the gospel freely. 

In August of the year 1 889, the company again made 
their way Westward, going as far as Nebraska and re- 
turning through Kansas and Missouri. They held meet- 
ings again at St. James, Mo., where a mob had given 
trouble two years before. Some of those who were guilty 
of that disturbance had become friends to the truth. One 
old preacher, however, continued to abuse the saints in 
his preaching until one Sunday evening, after expressing 
his usual opposition to the saints, he went home and 
dropped dead near his gate. Before this second visit of 
Brother Warner to this place one of the Baptist Church 
members made it known that he intended to break up 
this meeting also. It was reported that he actually began 
to work up a mob ; but his child had a bean to lodge in its 
windpipe and died, and this put a stop to the carrying 
out of his evil design. 

Brother Warner intended to spend the winter in Mis- 
souri, but he felt drawn back to Indiana. Having a 
great desire to settle down for a while, he wrote as fol- 
lows, in December, 1889: 

For a long time we have felt the call of God to shut ourself 
away with him for a while and let him teach us the deep things 
of God, that we may be able more perfectly to follow out the 
glorious lines of present truth. We have a great desire to do so, 
and yet when hungry souls in every direction, are calling for the 
saving truth of Qod it is hard for us to keep from running; but 
if the Lord will, we shall pass the calls around to the many able- 
bodied and warm-hearted soldiers of the "white horse" cavalry, 
who are ready to rush to the battle wherever he leads. We began 
preaching, a poor, frail invalid, over twenty-two years ago, and 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 365 

God has sustained us in a most remarkable manner during all 
these years of intense labor and great exposure. Oh, how grate- 
ful we feel to our heavenly Father that we are blessed with such 
good health! But nevertheless we feel that more regular diet, 
sleep, etc., for a season will prove a great blessing, and increase 
and prolong our usefulness on earth. We shall devote ourself 
principally to Bible-study and poetical labor. 

By the close of the year 1889, it was seen that the 
work had been almost doubling itself annually. That 
year there had been held twenty-five grove-meetings, 
fourteen camp-meetings, besides several general assem- 
blies. Quite a strong working force was by this time in 
the field, and evangelists were scattered out in the more 
distant parts of the country. 

The next tour of any considerable extent was one 
that took them into the Southland. This trip was made 
in November, 1890. They intended to make the trip 
by boat down the Mississippi, but found the water at a 
low ebb and traveling very slow. They took a steamer 
at Cincinnati, but had to wait two days before it started ; 
and then it took them four days to reach Cairo. After 
waiting three days for a boat overdue from St. Louis, they 
made the rest of the journey by rail, and landed at Meri- 
dian, Miss. In this part of the country Brothers Bradley 
and Bozeman and others had opened up the work. The 
people were very hungry for the preaching of the word. 
Brother Warner and the company spent several weeks in 
the eastern part of the State. His bold manner in un- 
covering sin and false religion occasioned considerable 
opposition from various sectarian sources. The country 
was cursed with a false holiness element called "Straight 
Holiness,*' representing the Good Way, a paper then 
published at Fort Scott, Kans. Its teachers failed in the 
South to be uncompromising against tobacco and other 
evils and they incited no little opposition and prejudice 



366 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

against the New Testament standard held by Brother 
Warner. At Beech Springs, Miss., the mob element was 
encountered, as is shown by the portion of Brother War- 
ner's report here given: 

At that place there are a few Babylon hearts of the most 
pernicious hue, men steeped and dyed in tobacco and drunk on 
Babylon's worst wine, the wrath of which they infuse into the 
baser sort. Brothers Bradley and Bozeman have both been 
threatened in that place with violence and, we believe, even with 
murder, and we could expect the same animus toward us. Hence, 
the second night several pieces of brick and clubs came crashing 
through the window, all doubtless hurled in wrath at us. Nearly 
half of the sash was broken in and the glass flew over the house. 
The unsaved were much frightened, and the whole house was 
thrown into confusion. The glory of God was greatly upon us 
through all the evening, and with the cowardly onslaught the 
heavenly tides so wondrously swelled in our soul that we had to 
leap for joy in the midst of the uproar. Oh, the mighty river of 
peace and joy! The excellent tide of glory only subsided into 
sleep at a late hour, and it arose again with our waking in the 
morning. We stood only about seven feet from the window 
and nearly opposite; but the hand of God protected us from 
serious harm. However, the Lord saw he could overrule a slight 
glancing wound on the side of our face and nose for his glory, 
and so permitted the same. It was very evident in the meeting 
the next day that either Satan had made a great mistake or else 
his children were more wicked than he wanted them to be, so 
that he could not restrain them from their wicked deed, which 
proved a great blessing to the cause of Christ. All the saints 
were able to see more clearly than ever before the track that 
Christ and his primitive saints had trod. And about all testified 
that they had reached a clearer experience, stronger faith, and 
more joy in the Lord through the last night's meeting than ever 
before. The meeting that day was indeed very glorious. 

The spiritual condition of the people as countenanced 
by the "Straight Holiness" teachers in that part of the 
South is set forth in the report written from Spring Hill, 
near Meridian: 

Our last report was from Oak Grove neighborhood. When we 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 367 

entered there we found the powers of darkness and wickedness 
fierce and black. Threats were breathed about and written no- 
tices deposited in the dark. After one night's meeting in the old 
meeting-house, which is a neighborhood building, it was locked 
up. We went into the small schoolhouse near by and the Lord 
most wonderfully blessed our souls. Satan then had the school- 
house locked, and though certain citizens had jerked the staples 
out of the old meeting-house and the doors stood wide open, 
and the Methodist class-leader, being in favor of the right and 
truth, invited us to enter, yet because others were raging we 
preferred to hold a little service in the public road, in the bright 
moonlight. God blessed the songs, prayer, and a few words of 
exhortation, and all the people seemed touched. Nearly every 
person present kneeled during prayer. 

All these circumstances God overruled to the good of the peo- 
ple and the cause of Christ. The schoolhouse was again opened, 
and we went on a few nights longer, with glorious victory. Only 
a few sought the Lord; but there was a general blessing effected 
on the community in the removal of prejudice and hatred out 
of many hearts that had been influenced through lies and slan- 
ders, such as of promiscuous kissing, free-love, etc., propagated 
chiefly by the little Fort Scott-creed sect.* 

It is a bad and fallacious cause that depends upon defamation 
of others. The course these schismatics resort to occasions some 
persecution and no little hatred, and even danger of violent treat- 
ment, which they will have to answer for in the day of judgment. 
But the cause thus bolstered up can not stand, and truth crushed 
down by foul means is sure to rise again; and just in proportion 
as there has been evil-speaking against the truth will it enlist the 
hearts of the honest, and at the same time forfeit all confidence 
in and elicit contempt for such as have defamed it and its lovers. 
In accordance with these principles truth rose triumphant at Oak 
Grove. The people saw we had been slandered, yea and Jesus 
Christ also. . . . The Lord has raised up many friends for the 
whole truth in that place, and could we have remained long 
enough to make a thorough effort, doubtless a number of souls 
would have been saved. But the way is opened for the true work 

*In addition to this a letter had been received in the community, 
from Carthage, Mo., written by an opposer who misrepresented the 
saints as believers in amalgamation with the colored people, the 
purpose of the letter being, of course, to stir up prejudice. 



368 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

of God to prosper there. Some who were much prejudiced when 
we went there, seeing that the truth of Qod is in us, had their 
minds changed, and their countenances were divested of the sour 
and took on the pleasant. God bless the people of that com- 
munity. 

From that place we came to Spring Hill, several miles east. 
. . . Here were a few pure children of God, whom we found 
yoked up with a majority who were professing salvation and yet 
"walking after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness." Iri our lift- 
ing the standard of God's Word against such inconsistencies, the 
wicked spirits were stirred in the baser sort, so that many threats 
of violence were blown about in the neighborhood. But the hand 
of God being over us, we suffered no harm. . . . 

Oh, how our soul longs to be excused of this most unpleasant 
task of lifting the gospel standard of holiness where profession 
has been countenanced in lives of filth and idolatry! The 
preacher that simply tells the people he could not use tobacco, 
and even earnestly admonishes men to quit, and yet receives the 
testimonies of men who use it, sets at naught the Word of God, 
pampers men in their sins, and prepares a storm of persecution 
to fall on the head of the man who comes after him showing the 
real Bible line between the works of God and the works of the 
devil, between real holiness of heart, soul, spirit, and body on the 
one side, and all filthiness of the flesh and spirit on the other. 
If holiness-teachers, on going into a new field where people know 
nothing about the doctrine and experience, would faithfully tell 
them at once that entire sanctification, the second work of grace, 
cleanses out of man all, filthiness of the flesh and spirit, which 
includes all unholy tempers and appetites, that it can be ob- 
tained only by abandoning every sinful and unclean habit and 
giving the whole man — soul, body, and spirit — up to God for 
perfect purity of life and being, no person is prepared to contra- 
dict him, and such as conclude to seek that grace will expect to 
pay the full price. . . . 

But when men are allowed to profess holiness without contra- 
diction and yet practise the sin of tobacco-using or anything else 
contrary to godliness, they, in imagining themselves holy while 
living in unholiness, as well as sinners in general, learn to asso- 
ciate holiness and filth, and the difficulties in rooting out the 
abomination are many times increased. Men, by getting a degree 
of blessing of God upon their souls in consequence of abandon- 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 369 

ing some evils, or at least imagining themselves blessed, take the 
same as an endorsement from God upon the filth they yet continue 
in. The longer they continue in their delusion the more they 
are confirmed in it and the more they will fight for their idols. 
And their practise justifying the lusts of the wicked, these are 
ready to assault and abuse God's ministers, who must declare the 
whole counsel of God. And so a lax preacher gives place for the 
devil and wrath of men to assault the faithful herald of God that 
follows him. So by the fruits of the devotees of rehashed Metho- 
dism in the Fort Scott creed, which has cursed the South and filled 
hearts with bitter hatred toward all who follow Christ, and by 
their strife and contentions having brought a general contempt 
upon the name of holiness, and also by their lack of radicalness 
against sin in every form, our work here is beset with dark moun- 
tains, which God alone can remove, but which, thank his holy 
name, have been much obliterated in all places where we have 
labored. 

Later, at Spring Hill, the mob element was further 
encountered. Here, as was always the case where a 
mob gathered to do violence to Brother Warner, the chief 
instigators were sectarian preachers and professors who 
were incensed by the preaching of the truth that con- 
demned them. 

From Spring Hill meeting-house, where we last wrote, we 
went about seven miles to the southeast through a wild and al- 
most mountainous woods, to the house of Brother and Sister 
Irby, in whose dwelling we remained and held meeting about one 
week. ... A goodly number of hearers came out through the 
wet weather, and the dear Lord was pleased to pour his Spirit 
upon us gloriously. It seemed that God had taken us up upon the 
Delectable Mountains. The leaps in our soul were too high for 
the height of the room, as the house had a ceiling, whereas, 
nearly all the country houses here have nothing overhead but the 
roof, and never has a whitewash brush touched the walls. 
Scarcely one out of ten of the houses in the country has a pane 
of glass in it. The sisters talked with some women who did not 
know what a carpet is. We have seen no such thing here. The 
people in the South seem contented with fewer domestic com- 
forts than any people we ever before met. As one sister re- 
marked the other day, "they take it out in tobacco." There is 



370 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

much truth in this statement. That weed deprives them of nearly 
all comforts and many actual necessities of life. Of course, there 
is not the same need of carpeted floors here as in the North; 
but how people can live for years in a house without a window is 
a mystery. 

Well, our stay at Brother and Sister Irby's seemed to my soul 
like old Brother Elijah's hiding-place in the wilderness, where he 
dined on food brought by angels. We also feasted on heavenly 
manna, and shall never forget it. Some came to the altar, and a 
few cast away their filthy idol ; but we hope the day of judgment 
will reveal much more good done than was manifest. . . . 

Some of God's little ones came over from Spring Hill, who in- 
formed us that some were anxious for our return to that place. 
Now, at that place is where Satan's seat is. Before we left there 
we were much impressed that the mob spirit was at work, and 
one night when the rain prevented our going to the place, a dis- 
guised crowd was seen going there. But now, hearing that some 
souls were hungry for salvation, we ventured back in the name 
of Jesus. 

When reaching the neighborhood, we were joyfully surprized 
by the coming of our dear young brother Andrew L. Byers, from 
Illinois, who has come to join our little company. Having had a 
great deal of trouble and several days' ramble before he found us 
he was reminded of Stanley in search of Livingstone. Truly 
our hearts were mutually refreshed by his arrival.* 

The first night of meeting three souls came to the altar, two 
consecrated for entire sanctification and one was gloriously par- 
doned. The next night the fierce powers of hell were fully awak- 
ened from their brief slumber occasioned by our absence. A 
couple of lead balls called buckshot were thrown through the 
open window by means of a rubber concern that we are told is 
even dangerous to life. These wicked wretches also threw stones 
with slings at some of God's saints on their way home that night, 
even regardless of women and children in the crowd. One 
woman was ! hit. That was a little the lowest and most cowardly 
work we have ever yet met with. The next day four of Satan's 
chief servants rode out in four directions five and seven miles to 

*These meetings in, the vicinity of Spring Hill were almost the 
author's first experience in gospel work. I was asked to join the 
company to supply a missing part in song, Mother Smith having 
dropped out previously. After arriving at Meridian it was some 
time before I could loicate Brother Warner. 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 371 

enlist by his lies and slanders such as were base enough in a 
great mob to assault us that night. During the day we learned all 
about the movement, and at a meeting at a brother's house we 
recalled the meeting for night, seeing no possible chance of doing 
good. 

Hear heavens, and be ashamed Babylon, when we tell you 
that one of the four spirits that went forth to gather together 
Gog and Magog was of the Fort Scott creed, or the Good Way 
sect, and the father of the only family of that sect in the neigh- 
borhood. And at his cotton-gin was the appointed place for the 
mob to meet. Some five miles away he called ,on some young 
men who are reputed pretty wicked and invited them to join: the 
mob, telling them base lies. But they, having more principle 
than he, said they would have nothing to do, with it. They also 
came and informed some friends of the Lord all about the plot. 
These told the Fort Scott man to his face what he was guilty of, 
and he said he did not deny it. . . . We expected to meet that 
creed with the Word of God and had hopes of seeing some saved. 
But they shun Scripture investigation as a wolf shuns daylight. 
Brother Bradley invited the editor and two of the leading preach- 
ers to meet him in discussion, but they have failed to do so; and 
now we have discovered their tactics. They seem to regard slan- 
dering and mobbing as better calculated to subserve their cause 
than would honest discussion. While we are happy to think that 
most of them in person would not condescend to mobbing, it is 
only too true that many of them have given their tongues to 
slander whereby the other measures have been infused in the 
baser sort. May God forgive them for Christ's sake. 

There being no meeting at which the mob could assault us, 
they beset the house where we stayed until about twelve o'clock at 
night. They reported their number between seventy-five and one 
hundred. They were armed with guns and revolvers. There 
were in the crowd a Methodist preacher, a class-leader with his 
axe, many old gray-haired sectarians, men recently out of jail; 
the basest men in the country mixed up with a majority of 
sectites — so we were informed by brethren that knew the majority 
that came up to the house, for a part kept in reserve with most 
of the guns. They stated that their object was only to give us 
orders to leave the country next day. A brave army, about a 
hundred strong, gathered from several miles around, just to tell a 
few little children of God to leave the next day, after we had 
announced in the meeting that we were going at that time! 



372 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

There were a few fearless souls present who told them to their 
face that they were actuated to their dark work by the lies of 
Satan and the wickedness of their hearts, and shamed the Baby- 
lon professors there mixed up in common cause with base outlaws. 

The mob hung around until about midnight, clamoring for us 
to come out, stating they would not hurt us, etc. But when men 
are low down enough to fling buckshot into a congregation and 
rocks into a promiscuous/' crowd, you might as well tell us that 
wolves and hyenas do not care for meat as to say that such did 
not want to hurt us. Doubtless some in the crpwd did not, and 
for what we know such as said so did not; but judging the mob 
by what we had seen in the past we had good sense enough to 
avoid such beasts. . . . 

After all left the house, not a great way off, they fired off 
their pieces, which, for a few seconds, mimicked the din of war.* 

May God ever bless and keep the few pure children of God in 
that wicked region; and may he reward their kindness to us and 
also that of the few non-professors, whom we shall not soon for- 
get and for whom we shall pray that God may bless and reward 
them with his great salvation. 

Following the campaign in eastern Mississippi, meet- 
ings were held in northern Alabama, near Hartsells and 
near Athens, after which the company returned north- 
ward, Brother Warner into Indiana and the others into 
Ohio. 

*To one unaccustomed it was hard to realize that opposition to 
the truth would take the, 'form of a mob. We were quartered at 
the house of a Brother Smith. When the mob first came, Brother 
Warner asked if I wished to join him in his escape from the house. 
I then accompanied him to the pine woods some distance from the- 
dwelling, and we remained there until we could hear that the mob 
had left. Bro. B. E. Warren had found a hiding-place under the 
house. The! first company of men that came proved to be only a 
detachment, and the mob afterward came in greater force. This 
second time I remained in the house with the women folks, while 
Brothers Warner and Warren took the hiding under thei building. 
The men wanted Brother Warner and lingered at the gate for some 
time talking with Brother Smith, who would not allow them within 
the gate except to see for themselves that Brother Warner was not 
in the house. Finally, after learning that I was present, they 
asked to see me, whereupon I went out aud talked with them from 
the porch. They 1 asked a number of questions and then left. 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 373 

On the way north the author had the pleasure of 
making a trip through the Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, 
in company with Brother Warner, whose description of 
this trip appears in the Trumpet of April 15, 1891, but 
for want of space is not reproduced here. He had great 
capacity for enjoying the wonderful in nature. 

In a report written from Markleville, Ind., he tells of a 
visit to Indianapolis, where the Trumpet passed through 
the first year and a half of its existence. 

We came on to Indianapolis, where we began the blasts of the 
Gospel trumpet. We remained all night, and early in the morn- 
ing walked out to the spot where we labored and prayed and 
trusted God nearly two years in great trials. Abandoned and 
hated of all the world, opposed by all of Babylon and rejected 
by the sectish associated holiness forces, we were forced out upon 
the promises of God and endured a great fight of faith. AH 
the earth seemed dark as midnight, and growling letters came thick 
and fast and friendly ones few and far between. We were where, 
a stranger in a city, without money, friends, or credit, "give us 
this day our daily bread," was not a mere formal prayer. Oh, 
the riches of the goodness and the wonders of the mercy of God! 
Surely he hath never yet forsaken the righteous. Here we la- 
bored and prayed in intense poverty, while the word of the Lord 
tried us; but his strong arm hath gotten him the victory over all 
the powers of hell and earth. Here we had a temporary summer 
office on our lot and occupied a room of the house, about 10x14, 
in winter. Now a large two-story building is occupied with the 
business, and the circulation is rapidly enlarging. 

We went back to the room we had occupied through the night 
and cast ourself down on the carpet in gratitude to God. Glory 
be to God for the triumph for his mighty present truth! 

Little did Brother Warner realize, when he was at 
Markleville describing the facilities of the publishing 
work in Indianapolis shortly after it started, that he was 
then within ten miles of where (at Anderson) the pub- 
lishing office should be permanently located fifteen years 
hence. Since he is making comparisons of the beginning 



374 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

of the publishing work with its status at the time he wrote, 
it may be well to make some comparisons with the present. 

At the time he wrote, the publishing force numbered 
twelve persons; now, thirty years later, there are about 
two hundred persons employed. Then the building lo- 
cated at Grand Junction, was a two-story frame structure, 
40x70 in size, with a small lean-to; now the publishing 
machinery is housed in a building of concrete and steel 
containing more than an acre of floor space. The yearly 
expense for paper was then $500; now the cost of 
paper and printing-plates for the periodicals alone is 
$37,000, all materials together $ 1 34,000. Postage then 
$300, now more than $17,000. Fuel then $200, now 
$10,000. The printing-plant as well, it may be added, 
is one of the most up-to-date in the country. How greatly 
the work has grown! And yet the growth has been 
sufficiently slow to be substantial.* 

The tour into the Southern States was the last tour 
Brother Warner made in company with his little band of 
singers and helpers. After holding a couple of grove- 
meetings in Ohio and attending the Beaver Dam meet- 
ing in Indiana, during the summer of 1 89 1 , the company 
did not travel together any longer. Brother Warner 
visited the churches in Pennsylvania and Ontario and then 
spent the following winter, or most of it, at the publishing 
office. In April, 1 892, came a visit to the churches in the 
West, including the one at Denver. Before leaving home 
for this trip he suffered from a severe attack of rheumatism, 
and recovered only by a constant fight of faith. His 

*Besides the Gospel Trumpet, a young people's paper and a 
children's paper are published. Tons of literature in the form of 
books, tracts, and periodicals are sent out each year. A general 
ministerial assembly and camp-meeting, attended by thousands, is 
held annually at Anderson in an auditorium seating over five thou- 
sand. Missionary centers are established in many foreign coun- 
tries. It is God's work and is destined to spread over the whole 
earth. 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 375 

report from Denver furnishes an example of how he 
frequently had to contend with afflictions and how he 
found his victory only in the Lord. 

Through exposure in a cold rain at Kenesaw, Nebr., I was 
taken with a bad lung-trouble; was quite poorly and had lost 
about all appetite. But, thank God, we held on by faith in him 
and he raised me up. I was rapidly regaining strength when we 
left there. But an apparently congested state of my lungs seemed 
still to oppress my being. As the onward-flying train carried us 
higher and the air consequently became more and more light, the 
difficulty of breathing increased. I also found myself under a 
fever and lay one day very weak. 

Oh, how my poor soul cried out all the day long for the 
blessing of health and strength once more to this frail temple that 
had been so long crushed down with one affliction after another! 
But there was searching of the heart and consecration as well as 
prayer. I realized a sweet willingness to suffer on more and more 
all the days of my life, and almost more than a willingness to 
quit the theater of this life and of this dark world, which had 
pressed so many bitter cups of tribulation to my lips. I did not 
know, indeed, but that I had come here to join the dark train that 
moves silently and almost constantly out of this city to the 
large city of the dead, where thousands who come here to regain 
health are furnished a grave instead of health. But these 
thoughts brought no gloom to my redeemed soul. Three glorious 
things lit all up brightly: 

First, I knew my soul was all arrayed in the pure righteousness 
of God, without spot, and that by the grace of God I had kept the 
faith, obeyed God, and done what I could to glorify his holy 
name on earth. 

Second, whether we wake — remain in the body — or sleep — 
leave the body — we shall live together with the Lord. I shall 
still have a conscious and joyful existence in a more near and 
blissful presence of the Lord after leaving this clay house. 

Third, this mortal body also shall put on immortality and be 
fashioned like Christ's glorious body. Oh, bless God for the 
beautiful hope of a child of God! 

Before sundown I awoke from a short sleep, and instantly felt 
heavenly sweetness in my soul and comfort in body. Behold, the 
Lord had taken away all the fever! That night some of the be- 
loved came together and anointed me for complete healing. We 



376 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

believed the Lord granted the petition, and after much trial 
of my faith I am now feeling well in body once more and rapidly 
gaining strength. 

His account of his visiting the natural wonders at Colo- 
rado Springs is interesting and shows his love for the 
handiwork of God. 

Yesterday we all improved the time in visiting some of Qod's 
wonderful works about Manitou and what is called the Garden of 
the Gods. Here we praised and worshiped the true God and 
creator of all things in heaven and earth, when we beheld the 
wonderful works that his hands had wrought. Here rise from a 
level surface, or, rather, project out of the earth, yellow rocks 
to the height of over three hundred feet. Some of them look 
like a great castle, others are a few thin slabs standing side by 
side with very fine crevices, between which were doubtless at one 
time veins of rock more soft than the rest, and the stream of time 
has worn them out. Some of these majestic formations could be 
ascended to a considerable height from one side. On these ele- 
vations we shouted the praises of God, feeling his presence with 
us. Many smaller rocks of very peculiar shape are seen in this 
romantic region. 

From here we proceeded to the town of Manitou, which is a 
small but very attractive town in a deep passage of the moun- 
tains. Here we found' a family that was interested in full salva- 
tion. We talked with them and prayed with them, and perhaps 
they will find a door open for Jesus in that place. We then 
drove about one mile beyond up the Ute Pass to Rainbow Falls, 
after which we visited the celebrated Iron Springs. The water 
is so highly charged with mineral substances that it is nearly as 
strong as hard cider; and yet it has what most pronounce no 
unpleasant flavor. It tastes like strong soda-water. It is very 
electrifying to the system, and the constant tide of visitors goes 
there to drink the healing waters. Near the upper springs is the 
beginning of the cog railroad that transports travelers up to the 
summit of Pike's Peak. The distance up the mountain is about 
nine miles. 

Returning to Manitou we stopped and drank freely of the soda 
spring, of which soda-water is a good imitation. Visitors may 
freely drink of all these springs and each may carry away one 
quart of the precious water. We brought some home, and by 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 377 

adding sugar and lemon-juice the water foamed up and made a 
delicious drink. 

Here we sit and write in Colorado Springs on a plain that rises 
nearly six thousand feet above the place of our home. How 
pure and light the atmosphere is! And Pike's Peak near by us 
lifts its snow-covered summit over eight thousand feet still higher 
in the skies. 

His return to Michigan was in time to attend the 
general camp-meeting, which this year was held on the 
new ground at Grand Junction. Before the summer was 
over he received an urgent call to go to the Pacific Coast 
and to attend the tabernacle-meeting at Los Angeles, Cal., 
in October. Feeling it the will of the Lord that he go he 
started on this journey in August. After a few meetings 
in Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas, he proceeded to Los 
Angeles, which he reached in time to attend the meeting 
appointed there. His first report from the Coast, written 
at National City, is in part as follows: 

We were three days and nights making the trip, with very 
little stopping. We came over the Santa Fe system. We passed 
over much wild and mountainous scenery, but the lofty peaks 
called The Needles we passed at night and failed to see. Our 
chariot brought us over one thousand miles of desert. The aw- 
ful blank was broken only by an occasional Indian camp or 
village, or a mining-point. For perhaps a hundred miles or more 
the earth was as bare as the paved streets of a city, and for 
many hundred miles nothing but tumbleweed had ventured life 
upon the dry region. But it is believed that nearly all that 
lifeless desert would be productive if irrigated or blessed with 
summer showers. One thing that broke the awful monotony 
of the long, weary plains was the fact that we were seldom out 
of sight of mountain ranges. In Arizona we reached a very high 
altitude. The morning found the ground covered with snow and 
the temperature quite cold. In eastern California we traveled for 
hundreds of miles in the midst of a wild mountainous scenery, 
much of the time running on or near the summit, giving us a 
grand and awful view of the mountains for a vast distance 
around. Finally, fertile nooks, little houses, and orchards made 



378 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

their welcomed appearance, which began to relieve the mind 
wearied with the long scene of barren emptiness. At San Bar- 
nardino everything began to look as though we had returned to 
the land of the living. 

A few hours more through almost perpetual vineyards, lemon, 
orange, and fig orchards, etc., brought us into Los Angeles, and 
seeing our dear Bro. J. W. Byers through the window, we felt 
like climbing over the slow-moving people to reach the door. 
Oh, praise God for the privilege of greeting our dear fellow la- 
borer in the gospel of God! We found him and family well, 
and he and Sister Byers wonderfully devoted to their calling, 
laboring day and night with unwearied zeal for the salvation of 
lost men and women, who are on the brink of everlasting ruin. 
Praise God, we soon saw that their labors have been owned and 
blessed of God. We found a precious and very zealous church 
in Los Angeles. . . . 

Truly dear Brother and Sister Byers have been working the 
richest mine of gold ever opened in California. Their toils have 
known no moderation. They have indeed, according to apostolic 
example, "given themselves continually to prayer and to the 
ministry of the word." And, thank God, there are those in Los 
Angeles who labored with their hands for the direct object of 
saving lost men and women, using only enough to supply nature's 
wants. Oh, that everybody who professes consecration of self 
and all to God would show it forth by a life wholly devoted to the 
spread of the pure gospel of Christ and the deliverance of the 
lost! ... 

His stay in California was confined to the southern 
part of the State, where he spent two and one half months 
laboring in various places. On his return he wrote from 
Denver and described some of the sublime scenery he 
witnessed on the line of the Denver and Rio Grande 
Railroad. 

Some of the most sublime scenery was passed in the night. 
At Glenwood Springs the train stopped an hour and a half, giving 
passengers a much-appreciated relief from long confinement and 
a very much enjoyed ramble amid the beautiful scenery of the 
little city, which lies in a small glen, surrounded by towering 
mountains on all sides. Here, for the first time in our life, we 



EVANGELISTIC TOURS 379 

saw hot springs. The weather was cold and snow was on the 
ground, and the many stony springs and the great hot-water 
reservoir caused a steam to arise that made a person feel as if 
the infernal fires were not far off. A stone wall separates be- 
tween two large pools, in one of which arise many cold springs, 
and just over the wall the hot water boils up. At this place is 
the junction of the Grand River and the Roaring Fork. Our line 
followed up the Grand River, the canon of which was very de- 
lightful. The great red, stone mountains towered up on both 
sides in the form of large old castles, many of them nearly square 
and others oblong but with square corners like a building. Fi- 
nally we left the Grand River and followed the winding course of 
a tributary. Now the scene became yet more wildly grand, which 
we greatly enjoyed. 

At some time past eleven at night we reached the Royal Gorge. 
Having requested the porter to notify us, we lay down without 
undressing, and so, blessed with good starlight, we were enabled 
to behold one of the most sublime and awful scenes we ever 
witnessed in all our travels. Here the almighty hand of God had 
cleaved a narrow passage through the rocks, which tower up 
thousands of feet on either side. On our left we passed close to 
the base of the mighty wall; on our right only a small stream 
lay between our track and the awful elevation. This indescrib- 
ably awful gorge extended perhaps for two or three miles. We 
stood upon the platform of the car, at first turning our eyes right 
and left, beholding with solemn wonder the vertical cliffs that 
seem almost to touch the stars. Finally we had but to direct our 
eyes straight up between the two cars and behold, by one straight 
upward gaze, the cliffs on both sides as their proud summits 
seemed to draw together. As we stood on the platform nearest 
the rocks we frequently saw the great peaks leaning directly 
over our heads. We could not refrain from crying out, Oh! oh! 
wonderful! wonderful! Never shall we forget that impressive 
sight! It seems to us that we would have but to make that trip 
by daylight to be satisfied that nothing more sublimely awful and 
inspiring need be looked for amid all the wonders of this creation 
of God. We would not have missed it for a great deal, and hope 
it may please God to let our eyes behold the same by daylight. 
On the previous afternoon we passed a freight-train that had 
the day before been wrecked by running upon a heap of earth 
and rocks that had broken loose perhaps a thousand feet up the 
sloping mountains and, rushing down, covered the track. The 



380 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

engine and tender were pitched down the hill and lay upside 
down, under which, alas, the fireman had met his death, or rather 
he lay with his limbs crushed beneath the engine for over four 
hours and expired a short time after being taken out. 

But as we went flying along under the lofty cliffs and around 
the short curving niches that were cut out of the solid rocks, 
sometimes at a height that! made one feel giddy to look down, 
we thought how the strength of the everlasting hills is our Fath- 
er's, and that his wings overshadowed us by the way. We felt 
no fear of harm. 

His poem Good-by, Old Rockies, was written at this 
time. He arrived home February 1 6. With the portion 
of his report written after he had returned from his Cali- 
fornia tour we close this chapter. 

Never in all our past journeyings did our soul seem so thankful 
and joyful before God for the privilege of greeting all the dearly 
beloved ones at home once more. Oh, bless the name of the Lord. 
We knew not how to thank God enough nor 1 scarcely how to act 
for the great joy of our heart. Let all the dear saints help us bless 
the name of the Lord for his wonderful care over us during the 
travel of over ten thousand miles since our departure last July. 

Our flying abroad has not been in vain. All along the line of 
our tour God has been with us and saved souls at every stopping- 
place, with perhaps two exceptions. Thank Heaven also for 
the blessing of good health! HoW wonderfully he strengthened 
us to preach his everlasting gospel, often twice a day and some- 
times on Sabbath three times, putting in as much as eight hours 
swift talk in one day, added to which was the earnest altar ser- 
vice and the care for immortal souls ! We feel especially thankful 
to God for the grace of our Lord and Savior that we find rest- 
ing upon all the belovedf family. 



Sing It Again. 



D. S. Warner. 



B. E. Warren. 




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1. Let us sing the name of Jesus,oh,that name we love so dear! Sweetest anthem 

2. Sing the love-ly name of Jesus,oh, the precious Lamb of God! Lo, he died our 

3. Sing,oh,sing the name of Jesus, he is wor-thy , he a - 1 one, Glo - ry , hon-or, 

4. We will sing the name of Jesus all a-long the path of life, We will sing it, 

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earth or heaven ever breathed on mortal ear ; In that name we have salvation,oh,ho w 
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XVII 

THE MINISTRY OF SONG 

Scarcely a spiritual movement in the history of Chris- 
tianity has been without its service of song. The emo- 
tions, whether of victory or of devotion or of interest in 
the salvation of the lost, naturally flow out in singing. 
Far back in Biblical history we find songs of victory 
attending the triumphs of the people of God. 

The Wesleyan reformation, through its gifted hymn- 
writer, Charles Wesley, furnished many of the standard 
spiritual hymns that are in use today. Witness also the 
immortal gospel hymns that originated with the Moody 
and Sankey revivals of the last century. Likewise the 
holiness movement of forty and fifty years ago was 
characterized by its holiness songs. And so in these last 
times, when we have come to the full standard of truth 
and the full development of the church independent of 
human creeds, when the "ransomed of the Lord" are 
returning over the "highway" prepared, what wonder is 
it that they should "come to Zion with songs and ever- 
lasting joy upon their heads" (Isa. 35:10)? In no 
respect was the inception of the present reformation more 
marked than in its ministry of holy song. 

For the writing of spiritual hymns Brother Warner had 
a wonderful endowment. It seems that the development 
of this gift came, however, only with his entrance upon the 
special work of the reformation. In his earliest writings 
we find no examples of hymns or poems of any merit. 
A few verses in his diary betray a lack of familiarity with 
the principles of prosody, or hymn-writing. Consider- 
ing the little time he had to devote to the study of those 
principles, it is marvelous that he produced so many useful, 
and we may say excellent, hymns during the few short 
years of his intensive ministerial labor. 



384 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

His first effort appears to have been the adaptation of 
existing hymns either by rearrangement of the words or by 
composing new words to fit the tunes. Thus we have the 
Glory, Halleluiah song with new words appearing in an 
early copy of the Gospel Trumpet. The chorus is fa- 
miliar to all and we omit it. 

On the mountain top of vision what a glory we behold! 
Eighteen hundred years of victory are tinging earth with gold; 
For the saints are overcoming with their testimony bold, 
The truth is marching on. 

For the glory of the Father Jesus taught in Galilee, 

And preached the great salvation that delivers you and me; 

And a million voices shout it, " Redemption 's full and free, " 

The truth is marching on. 
From the cabin on the prairie, from the vaulted city dome, 
From the dark and briny ocean where our sailoT brothers roam, 
We hear the glad rejoicing like a happy harvest-home, 

Salvation's rolling on., 

Eighteen hundred years of marching, eighteen hundred years of 

song, 
The Conqueror advances, and the time will not be long, 
When he shall come in glory and overthrow the wrong, 
Our God is marching on. 

Nahum's chariots are speeding as the lightning on their way, 
And their flying torches tell us 'tis the preparation day; 
For the bride is getting ready and the Lord will not delay, 
The marriage feast is near. 

Precious knowledge is increasing, evening light begins to glow, 
With the trump of full salvation many running to and fro; 
And the song of glory echoes, Christ has washed us white as snow, 
All glory to his name! 

The long dispersed remnant of Jehovah's chosen race 
Are flying from all nations to their ancient dwelling-place; 
And the sinful world is surely in its closing-day of grace, 
The Lord is just at hand. 

In the valley of decision there's a battle drawing near, 
Sectish Gog and Magog powers round about the saints appear; 
But our God is our munition and our hearts shall never fear, 
The victory is sure. 

On the blissful heights of glory we will shout the battle o'er, 
And in the golden city we will join the Conqueror, 
And when the war is over, with the saints forevermore 
And crown him with all praise. 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 385 

On the subject of the church — a prominent subject 
with him — we have Brother Warner's arrangement of 
Frances Ridley Havergal's poem, Church of God. We 
give but two stanzas. 

Church of God, thou spotless virgin, 
Church of Christ for whom he died, 

Thou hast known no human founder, 
Jesus bought thee for his bride. 

Sanctified by God the Father, 
Built by Jesus Christ the Son, 

Tempered by the Holy Spirit, 
Like the Holy Three in one. 

God himself has set the members 

In his body all complete, 
Organized by Jesus only, 

Oh, the union pure and sweet! 
Church of God, the angels marvel, 

At the music of thy song; 
Earth and hell in terror tremble 

As thy army moves along. 

Another of the class of adapted hymns was one on the 
exercise of faith for sanctification, sung to the tune of 
Beulah Land. 

Why should a doubt or fear arise, 

As this poor little all of mine 
I lay a living sacrifice, 

All on the altar, Christ divine? 

Chorus 

I'm fully thine, yes, wholly thine, 
All on the altar, Christ divine. 
The word of Jesus I believe, 
The Sanctifier I receive; 
All on the altar I abide, 
And Jesus says I'm sanctified. 

Ah, not a moment more I'll doubt, 

And not a moment longer wait; 
He shed his blood to sanctify, 

He suffered death without the gate. 

By faith I venture on his Word, 

My doubts are o'er, the vict'ry won; 

He said the altar sanctifies, 

I just believe him, and 'tis done. 



386 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Through all my soul I feel his power, 
And in the precious cleansing wave 
I wash my garments white this hour, 
And prcive his utmost power to save. 

Still another was The Hand of God on the Wall, of 
which we quote but two verses. 

See, the great king of Babel in these latter days of time 
Makes! a feast that's universal, all, the nations drink her wine; 
As they eat, drink, and revel in her lofty steepled hall, 
God proclaims her desolation by his hand upon the wall. 

How the nations are drunken and are sporting in their shame! 
Even scoffing at our Savior and profane his holy name; 
Far more blind than Belshazzar. who so trembled with appal, 
They still riot on to judgment, with their doom upon the wall. 

Brother Warner was not gifted in writing tunes. This 
necessary counterpart was supplied in J. C. Fisher and 
his wife, Allie R., also in H. R. Jeffrey, a brother who 
lived in northern Indiana. Fisher frequently wrote both 
words and music, as did also Jeffrey. One of the first 
hymns of which both words and music were original with 
this reformation was The All Cleansing Fountain, by J. 
C. Fisher. The first stanza and chorus are as follows : 

There '& a fountain opened in the house of God, 

Where the vilest of sinners may go 
And all test the power of that crimson flood, 

Of the blood that makes whiter than snow. 
Chorus 

Praise the Lord, I am washed 

In the all cleansing blood of the Lamb, 

And my robes are whiter than the driven snow, 

I am washed in the blood of the Lamb. 

Another early one was H. R. Jeffrey's Songs of Vic- 
tory, of which the; first stanza and chorus will also here 
suffice. 

Songs of victory bringing 

Unto the Lord most high, 
Victory, victory singing, 

Let all the saints draw nigh; 
For there can be no failure 

While Jesus leads the van, 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 387 

And victory, victory, victory, 
Is heard on every hand. 
Chorus 
Viet'ry shall be the chorus, 
Vict'ry our watchword and song, 
Jesus is marching before us, 
Leading his army along. 

A hymn that breathes a deep spirit of devotion was 

Brother Warner's I Ought to Love My Savior, music by 
Fisher. There were five stanzas in all. We give it with 
music at the beginning of Chapter IX of this book. 

I ought to love my Savior, 

He loved me long ago, 
Looked on my soul with favor, 

When deep in guilt and woe; 
And though my sin had grieved him, 

His father's law had crossed, 
Love drew him down from heaven 

To seek and save the lost. 

I ought to love my Savior, 

He bore my sin and shame; 
From glory to the manger, 

On wings of love he came. 
He trod this earth in sorrow, 

Endured the pains of hell, 
That I should not be banished. 

But in his glfllry dwell. 

We shall refer, in what follows, only to Brother War- 
ner's hymns. One that sung of the times as being pro- 
phetic was entitled Prophetic Truth, and is shown with 
music at the beginning of Chapter XIII. 

'Twas sung by the poets, foreseen in the Spirit, 
A time of refreshing is near; 
When creeds and divisions would fall to demerit, 
And saints in sweet union appear. 
Chorus 

Oh, glory to Jesus! we hail the bright day, 
And high on our banner salvation display, 
The mists of confusion are passing away. 

We stand in the glory that Jesus has given, 
The moon as the dayspring doth shine; 

The light of the sun is now equal to seven, 
So bright is the glory divine. 



388 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Now filled with the Spirit, and clad in the armoi 

Of light and omnipotent truth, 
We'll testify ever and Jesus we'll honor, 
And stand from sin Babel aloof. 

The prophet's keen vision, transpiercing the ages, 

Beheld us to Zion return; 
Wje'll sing of our freedom, though Babylon rages, 

We'll shout as her city doth burn. 

The fig-tree is budding, the "evening" is shining, 

We welcome the wonderful light! 
We look for the Savior, for time isi declining, 

Eternity's looming in sight. 



As he saw the church of God emerge out of confusion 
into the brightness which should characterize the evening 
of time, he wrote the following, which is given with music 
at the beginning of Chapter I. 

Brighter days are sweetly dawning, 

Oh the glory logins in sight! 
For^ the cloudy day is waning, 

And the evening shall be light. 

Misty fogs, so long concealing 

All the hills of mingled night, 
Vanish, all their sin revealing, 

For the evening shall be light. 

Lo, the ransomed are returning, 

Eobed in shining crystal white, 
Leaping, shouting, home to Zion, 

Happy in the evening light. 

Free from Babel, in the Spirit, 
Free to worship God aright, 
Joy and gladness we're receiving, 



Halleluiah! saints are singing, 

Vict'ry in Jehovah's might; 
Glory, glory, keep it ringing, 

We are saved in evening light. 

Another hymn of the return, and also embodying 
Sister Fisher's vision of the stone tower, was the following : 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 389 

We are coming, halleluiah I we are coming home to God; 
Jesus only we're beholding, who has washed us in his blood: 
We are marching back to Salem at the trumpet's joyful sound, 
And we're building God's own temple on it's ancient holy grofcind. 

Chorus 

We are coming, Oh, we're coming, with the gloiry in the soul! 

Grace we're shouting aa we're bringing Christ, the headstone we 

extol; 
Though as captives long we've suffered, we do feel the royal blood, 
And we're rising to our freedom in the fulness of our God. 

While we're working, we are fighting all the mighty 1 foes around; 
Tho' in wrath they do oppose us we will not desert the ground. 
O my God, do thou remember all those wicked plotting crews, 
Hear them saying in derision, ' ' Now what do these feeble 
Jews?"' 

Thou art coming, mighty Jesus, in the power of thy grace; 
Now our souls break forth in singing at the smiling 1 of thy face: 
Fear of sect, a mount of terror, thou hast made an open plain, 
And the misty fogs of error all have vanished in thy name. 

Our foundation strong is Jesus, he the topmost, crowning stone; 

Halleluiah! we adore him, king upon his living throne: 

And his crimson glory streaming through each crystal stone 

below 
Tints the whole ecstatic temple with the beauty of its glow. 

Oh, the glory of this temple far exceeds the former one! 
All its stones are bound together in Love's dear eternal Son: 
In this building, what a wonder! there's a dwelling-place for me; 
Yes, thy beauty, O my Savior! I shall here forever see. 



Many of his hymns, as is usually the case with hymn- 
writers, were prompted by some particular occasion or 
suggestion. Thus in connection with the terrific furnace 
trials at Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1883, he wrote: 

Why should a mortal man complain 
At his trials in this wicked world? 
Nay, let us thank God 's holy name 
For all his love o'er us unfurled. 

Chorus 

O Jesus, bear our souls above 

Each, wave of trouble that we meetj 
Then in the furnace of thy love 

We '11 sing thy praise with joy complete. 



390 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Oh, why should any one oppressed 

Forget the promise of our God! 
To thee each providence is blessed 
If in l0|Ve thou beari the chastening rod. 

Oh, who would cast away the gold 

We have gathered in the furnace flame! 

And who would wish again the dross 
Here purged in our Redeemer's name? 

Once when a new printing-press was installed in the 
Office (he always rejoiced when there was an increase of 
printing equipment), he wrote the following in anticipa- 
tion of the Trumpet's being raised to louder blasts. See 
the music at the beginning of Chapter XIV. 

Onward moves the great eternal 

In the order of his plan; 
Louder, nearer rolls the thunder 

Of his awful word to man. 

Since by sin this earth was blighted 
God has whispered of his love, 

Dreams and visions by his prophets 
Breathed off mercy from above. 

Louder speaks his love in Jesus, 
Heaven sweetly chants his fame; 

Earth receives its glorious Savior, 
Halleluiah to his name! 

Yet the world is wrapped in slumber; 

Louder raise the Trumpet's blast; 
Oh, in mercy let it thunder, 

Ere the day of mercy's past! 

In the cages of deception 

Souls are pining to be free; 
Quickly sound the proclamation 

Of the glorious jubilee. 

The hymn, Perishing Souls at Stake, was one of the 
early productions. We quote this hymn and its history 
as it appeared in the Trumpet of Dec. 15, 1885. The 
music will be found at the head of Chapter XVI. 

Perishing souls at stake tciday! 

Says the banner of Christ unfurled; 
Pleading in love for help to save 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 391 

Perishing souls at stake we see, 
Yet the Savior has died for all; 

Go and invite them earnestly, 
Some will surely obey the call. 

Perishing souls at stake today, 
There's a famine in all the land; 

Many are dying for the bread 
Freely given by Jesus' hand. 

Perishing sciuls at stake, go tell 
What the Savior has done for you, 

How he redeemed your soul from hell, 
And is able to save them, too. 

Perishing souls at stake we know, 
Oh, do pity the sinner's fate! 

Brother and sister, will you go, 

Give them warning before too late. 

Perishing souls at stake today, 

Can you tarry for earthly, dross? 
Fly to the rescue, don't delay, 

Bring the needy to Jesus ' cross. 

The foregoing song was suggested to our mind by a solemn 
vision given to Bro. C. Ogan, of Latty, Ohio, on the night previ- 
ous to September 19. He saw Christ displaying a banner upon 
which was written these words: "Perishing Souls at Stake." 
That day we had a very solemn meeting at Jerry City, Ohio. The 
Spirit of God was present, making imperative calls for workers 
in the vineyard. Our soul was burdened with an awful sense 
of perishing souls at stake. All hearts were melted before the 
Lord. A number acknowledged the solemn commission. Dear 
Brother Ogan was one of them, relating this solemn and beautiful 
vision. 

We pray that all who that day confessed the call of God may 
go forward, lest that "woe is me" be upon them, and perishing 
souls be lost for whom the blessed Savior died. In about all the 
meetings this fall the same great burden has come upon our soul 
for men and women of God to go forth and hold up the light of 
his saving truth. ye that have the real fire of God in your 
souls, can you tarry at home to watch a few earthly effects, when 
there is such a sore famine in all the land! And you who have 
found the true salvation of Christ Jesus are the only ones that 
can bring the living bread to others. College bread will not do. 
'Dumb dogs can not bark'; Babylon priests are full of darkness, 



392 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

and souls are dying all around. Oh ! if you have any gratitude 
in your hearts for what Christ has done for you, go and tell oth- 
ers, and some will surely receive the joyful tidings. Oh, how 
sad this world with no gospel but the wretched stuff given by 
Babylon priests! And most everywhere there are at least one 
or two honest souls who long for the light. Can you stay at home 
for the sordid dust of earth and let them perish? Oh, fly to the 
rescue, don't delay; bring the needy to Jesus Christ! 

After a few years both Fisher and Jeffrey dropped out 
of the ranks and ceased to contribute their melodies to 
Brother Warner's hymns. In their place God provided 
Brother B. E. Warren. No sooner did this young brother 
become a part of Brother Warner's company than he be- 
gan to display a marvelous gift for writing melodies. In 
the years that followed he filled a large place as a writer 
of music, and he also learned to write the words as well. 

When the company were on their Western trip in the 
autumn of 1 887, Brother Warner wrote the hymn Sow- 
ing the Seed, in anticipation of their having to brave the 
chilling blasts of the winter which was before them. 

Unheeding winter's cruel blast, 
We venture heaven's seed to cast; 
Both late and early plant the truth 
In aged hearts and tender youth. 

Shall we be found with only leaves 
When Jesus comes to gather sheaves? 
Nay, sowing daily o'er the land, 
We'll come with joyful sheaves in hand. 

Nor is the precious labor hard, 
Its glory is its own reward; 
We plant in hearts of grim despair 
A life that blooms as Eden fair. 

Oh, were this life the utmost! span, 
The closing destiny of man, 
No toil could half so blessed prove 
As sowing seeds of peace and love. 

But heaven's bright eternal years 
Have bottled up our sowing tears; 
There we shall greet in holy bliss 
The souls we turned to righteousness. 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 393 

Then sow the seed in every field, 
And grace will bring the golden yield; 
We soon shall sing the joyful song, 
And shout* the blessed harvest-home. 

The song Who Will Suffer With Jesus? had its origin 
while the company were in the South in the winter of 
1890-91. It was written at the time a mob assaulted 
the house in which Brother Warner was preaching and 
a sharp, flying missile struck him on the side of the face, 
causing it to bleed. 

Who will suffer with the Savior, 

Take the little that remains 
Of the cup of tribulation 

Jesus drank in dying pains? 

Who will offer soul and body 

On the altar of our God; 
Leaving self and worldly mammon, 

Take the path that Jesus trod? 

Who will suffer for the gospel, 
Follow Christ without the gate; 

Take the martyrs for example, 
With them glory at the stake? 

Oh, for consecrated service 

'Mid the din of Babel strife! 
Who will dare the truth to herald 

At the peril of his life? 

Soon the conflict will be over, 
Crowns await the firm and pure; 

Forward, brethren, work and suffer, 
Faithful to the end endure. 

Lord, we fellowship thy passion, 
Gladly suffer shame and loss; 

With thy blessing pain is pleasure, 
We will glory in thy crces. 

One of the prominent features of the reformation was 
the sweet, heavenly singing of the saints. Wherever 
Brother Warner's company went the people were at- 
tracted by the singing. They were not what the world 
would call "trained singers"; they were not even adept 



394 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

at reading music. But God blessed the singing, so that 
the songs, sung in the element of the Spirit, were simply 
heavenly. At the time the company held the first meeting 
at Walkerton, Ind. a theatrical troupe came to the town. 
So many people had flocked to Brother Warner's meet- 
ings that the house was packed and there were not many 
left to attend the theatrical concert. The troupe, not 
having a sufficient audience, came to the place of meeting 
and gave some instrumental music just outside in order 
to attract the people. Of course it interfered with the 
preaching. Brother Warner said, "Sing a song." Sister 
Nannie Kigar, who was the soprano of the company and 
always ready with a suitable selection, started a song. 
The people decided to remain. Many and powerful 
were the effects of these heaven-inspired songs. 

Mention has been made already of the instance where 
the cattle listened and gazed with wonder when Brother 
Warner's company were singing at a place where they 
had stopped in the edge of the woods for dinner. Broth- 
er Warren says that once when they were traveling on the 
road and singing they were passing a field where there 
were cattle, horses, and other live stock, and that all of 
these' followed along inside the fence until they reached 
the corner of the field, seeming to be attracted by the 
wonderful charm of the singing. 

At the time the company visited St. James, Mo., on the 
second Western tour, Brother Warner wrote the hymn 
Sing it Again, at a place where they were stopping in 
the country. Brother Warren then composed the music, 
and they began singing it. When the time came for them 
to be taken to the train to leave that part of the country, 
it was decided that they should be conveyed to Jefferson 
City in order to afford a little country ride for a change. 
They camped out the first night, and reached Jefferson 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 395 

City the second day, early in the afternoon. They de- 
cided to visit the State prison, and as the weather was 
warm they left their wraps in the baggage-room of the 
railroad-station until they should return. When they 
came back the baggage room was locked, and the tem- 
perature was falling and becoming just a little chilly. 
Everything was quiet around ; not a sound could be heard 
except the clicking of the telegraph instrument in the office. 
The train they were to take would not be due until in the 
night, and as the waiting-room was open they gathered 
a little fuel and built a fire. When this was done Brother 
Warner gave a little jump (he always seemed happy 
enough to jump at any time) and said, "Let us have a 
song." Naturally enough they sang the new song, Sing 
it Again. Soon the door opened and in came the operator, 
and then shortly, almost before they were aware of it, a 
number of others had gathered and were listening intently. 
When the song was ended, the operator said, "This re- 
minds me of my childhood days ; won't you sing that song 
again?" They sang it again, and then Brother Warner, 
as his manner frequently was, took out his Bible and said, 
"Perhaps you would not object to a little of the Word of 
God." The, operator had to attend to his office duties, 
but the others listened. Next testimonies were proposed. 
And so they had a precious little meeting in the waiting- 
room of the railroad-station, and the new song had al- 
ready begun to be useful. We here reproduce the words. 
The music is given at the head of Chapter XVII. 

Let us sing the name of Jesus, oh, that name we love so dear! 
Sweetest anthem earth or heaven ever breathed on mortal ear; 
In that name we have salvation, oh, how precious is the flow! 
Sing, oh, sing the. name of Jesus, for it makes us white as snow! 

Sing the lovely name of Jesus, oh, the precious Lamb of God! 
Lo, he died our souls to ransom, he redeemed us by his blood: 
Let the joyful overflowing of our hearts so full of lcve 
Sound aloud the name of Jesus with the mighty host above. 



396 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Sing, oh, sing the name of Jesus, he is worthy, he alone, 
Glory, honor, and salvation chant with angels round the throne; 
Sing it softly in the Spirit, sing it loud as thunders roll, 
Sing with rapture, halleluiah, to the Lamb that saved my soul. 

Yes, we'll sing the name of Jesus, 'tis the only name that's giv'n 
That can save a guilty sinner, and no other under heav'n. 
Oh, we love the name of Jesus, his salvation we adore! 
Blessed be the name of Jesus, we will sing it more and more. 

We will sing the name of Jesus all along the path of life, 
We will sing it, halleluiah, mid the battle and the strife; 
We will sing it all together when we meet upon that shore, 
Oh, we'll sing the name of Jesus, blessed name forevermore! 

I shall never forget the time when Brother Warner 
and his company first came to my father's home in north- 
western Illinois. I have always considered it the brightest 
event in my life's career. Today, asi memory carries me 
back to that time, and I imagine myself in that same 
situation, I have indescribable feelings. They arrived on 
a Saturday afternoon in the spring of 1888. My father 
and I had gone to engage a schoolhouse for the meetings 
when the company arrived. My sister had been con- 
verted the previous year; but during her attendance at 
school through the winter she had become somewhat cold 
spiritually and so had no particular pleasure in anticipat- 
ing the coming of "Warner's band," as she had heard 
them called. When the company arrived in the house, 
wearied with much travel, they seemed particularly to 
enjoy the sense of home, and they sang the hymn, 

Home, home, brightest and fairest, 
Hope, hope, sweetest and best. 

My sister simply melted, That song introduction was 
enough. Then they had prayer, and their hearts welled 
up in thankfulness to God for his blessings and care over 
them. If there ever were men who could pray, Brother 
Warner was one of them. 

After my father and I returned home, my sister and 



THE MINISTRY OF SONG 397 

mother wanted me to hear the company sing, and of 
course another song was requested. They sang this time, 
The All-cleansing Fountain, and it seemed to be the 
sweetest singing I had ever heard. During their stay in 
our home Brother Warren did some composing at the 
organ, and this seemed wonderful to me. I had never 
seen such people, whose countenances were aglow with 
the victory of salvation and who were so filled with praise 
and song. 

While the company were at our home we decided to 
give them a little outing by taking them across the Missis- 
sippi to the city of Clinton, Iowa, then remarkable for its 
lumber trade, and for having eight large sawmills, one of 
them the largest sawmill in the world. As we were driving 
along the road and singing The All-cleansing Fountain, 
a neighbor who was working in a field near by but who on 
account of an intervening ridge could not see us, heard the 
song. Not knowing from whence the sound came he con- 
cluded it was angel music, and when he went to his house 
he declared to his wife that he had heard the angels sing. 

A large class of songs that were used were such as ex- 
pressed victory and worship. Another large class were 
those of invitation and warning to sinners. In the later 
books, about all topics that are useful in Christian work 
were represented. 

Songs of Victory was the name of the first book pub- 
lished. It was issued in 1885. This was followed in 
1888 by Anthems from the Throne. The third book 
was Echoes from Glory, published in 1893. Following 
these a new book of songs has been issued about every 
four to six years. 



XVIII 

POETIC INSPIRATIONS 

To reflect on Brother Warner's career is to marvel at 
the accomplishment that was crowded into a few short 
years. He was active in several callings at one time. As 
a minister with the heavy burden of the gospel upon him 
he labored hard, preaching often and being everywhere in 
demand. On occasions he preached for three and even 
four hours in one discourse, the audience as well as the 
preacher forgetful of the passing time. Though in physi- 
cal endurance he was weak, yet there were perhaps few 
speakers who could wear so well in the labor of the pulpit. 
His private work of instructing seekers, and his, ministra- 
tions for the sick, requiring the exercise of prayer and 
faith, absorbed his strength and occupied much time. As 
editor of the paper, to which he contributed articles, many 
of them doctrinal and requiring study, and for which he 
had to edit articles written by others, it was necessary 
that he spend much time with the pen. His correspon- 
dence also was considerable, and as stenographers were 
not so available then as now he had to do his writing with 
his own hand. Where would he get time for study and 
prayer, and for writing hymns or poetry? And yet he 
accomplished all of these. 

In the latter years of his life he apparently was declin- 
ing to some extent in ministerial vigor; but as a writer his 
productions seemed only to grow richer with his years. 
Had his life been prolonged to the full period of what 
is commonly expected of man, he would have given to 
the world some of the finest poetical productions. His 
poems are not at all inferior, though written during a stren- 
uous career. 

In 1890, he collected and published his poems in a 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 399 

book entitled Poems of Grace and Truth. It contained 
343 pages. With the exception of a small book entitled 
Bible Readings, and the limp-cover binding of a song- 
book, this book of poems was the first cloth-bound book 
ever made at the Gospel Trumpet publishing office. The 
press-work is imperfect owing to the poor stereotyped 
plates from which it was printed. A number of beauti- 
ful poems were written since the publication of this book 
and therefore were not included in it. 

His longest poem was his Meditations on the Prairie. 
It occupies eighty-four pages of the book mentioned and 
is written in ten-syllable iambic verse. It touchingly de- 
scribes with beautiful imagery the author's acquaintance 
with and his subsequent marriage to Sarah A. Keller, 
and the circumstances that led to her deception and sep- 
aration from him. His own description of its origin, as 
given in the preface to the poem, is as follows : 

In the summer of 1873, the author took a mission-field in 
Nebraska, much of which had just been settled the previous year. 
My companion had died one year previously. Just before going 
West a correspondence was arranged with Sister Sarah A. Keller, 
which soon kindled into a glowing flame of love. A year later 
I returned and we were happily joined in marriage. With her 
precious company I came again to this blooming plain, where one 
year was sweetened with the most transporting conjugal bliss. 
In 1875 we returned to Ohio, where life and labors flowed on in 
uninterrupted happiness, until in 1884 the dear object of our 
love was deceived by the wily foe and torn from our soul, a crisis 
that threatened our frail life, and which we survived only by the 
grace of God. 

In the fall of 1887, while on an extensive Western tour, we 
came into a new part of the great prairie, which strikingly re- 
minded us of our travels on the new plains twelve and thirteen 
years before. There the Spirit touched our mind with vivid 
recollections of that cherished one, who made for us this prairie 
a blissful Eden. An inspired imagination also portrayed what 
dire wreck of our own life might have ensued from the crisis of 
broken love had not the grace of God averted the sad issue. 



400 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

This cast us on the sod beneath a load of gratitude, where the 
poem was inspired as our heart's humble tribute for Heaven's 
pity and sustaining arm. 

A quotation from this poem appears in Chapter XV 
of this book. 

Brother Warner was a great admirer of nature as the 
handiwork of God, and several of his poems are on nature 
subjects. What we give here are in most cases but selec- 
tions from the poems named, the omissions being indi- 
cated by stars. 

AUTUMN 

Gone is the spring with all its flowers, 
And gone the summer's verdant show; 

Now strewn beneath the autumn bowers, 
The yellow leaves await the snow. 

Behold, this earth so cold and gray 
An emblem of our life appears; 

Its blooming robes sink to decay, 
To rise again in round of years. 

Earth cheers its winter sleep with dreams 
Of springtime 's warmth and gentle rain, 

When she shall wake to murmuring streams 
And songs of merry birds again. 

So we come forth like springtime flowers, 

Soon into manhood's summer go, 
Then, like the leaves of: autumn bowers, 
Lie down beneath the winter's snow. 

And there our bodies slumb'ring wait 
Till time's short winter day has fled, 

And Christ, our Lord and Advocate, 
Shall come again to wake the dead. 

Then winter's storm and summer's heat 
Shall end in everlasting spring, 

And all immortal we shall meet, 

And round the throne of glory sing. 

NEW YEAR'S GREETING 
January 1, 1890 

Another year has come and gone 

So swiftly flows unceasing time. 
Forever on and on and on, 

With sorrow's groan and merry chime 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 40* 

Commingled in its surging tide, 

Time bears along upon its flood 
Poor human wrecks by sin destroyed; 

Yet o 'er its stream the hand of God 
Still bends his bow of hope divine; 
Its hues of love in beauty shine. 

Another year of hope and fear 

Has swept around its dial-plate, 
And with it thousands disappear 

To higher bliss or awful fate. 
God grant to us who yet survive 

A heart of fervent gratitude, 
And grace that we may wholly live 

To glorify the Source of good; 
Then, should this be our final year, 
"We '11 sink to rest without a f eax. 

Another year hath brought its store 

In rich profusion at our feet, 
That we should, heart and soul, adore 

Our Maker's love so broad and deep. 
And have you cast your bread upon 

The waters of the passing year, 
In hope that what your hands have done 

Will in much future good appear? 
Then as thy faith so shall it be; 
In coming days thine eyes shall see. 



The poem To the Alien, is addressed to his wife, 
Sarah, who, early in the year 1 884, through the influence 
of a spiritual deceiver, as already stated, left her husband. 

TO THE ALIEN 

Three years have fled since billows wild 

Wrecked our domestic bark, 
And chilled your love for husband, child, 

Mid waters cold and dark. 

"How wonderful the mystery," 

Astonished men exclaim, 
"That hearts so knit in unity 

Could ever part in twain ! ' ' 
» • * 

We suffered some adversities, 

A portion all must find, 
When compassed round by devotees 

Whose creeds we 'd left behind. 



402 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

When pressing to the harvest-field 

Of everlasting truth, 
And just before the golden yield, 

Alas! you turned aloof. 

Oh, how I wish that you could share 

In these ecstatic days, 
Enjoy the light of God so pure, 

And help to sing his praise! 

My soul had longed for more of God, 
More glory in the cross; 

But never dreamed that it must come 
Through such a bitter loss. 

I can not chide his providence, 
But count it all the best; 

For in each storm of violence 
I sink to sweeter rest. 

* * * 

'Twas not a rival filled thine eyes 
With colored fancies rare; 

But Satan came in deep disguise, 
And wrought the dread affair. 

* * * 

We still are joined in Eden's bond 

Of matrimony true; 
While life endures, yet undissolved 

It binds my heart to you. 

No court of man nor Satan 's pow^r 

Can disannul the tie; 
Though spirits rent, in evil hour, 

"One flesh" are you and I. 

No face so fair, no heart so warm, 
Upon this verdant sod, 

Shall alienate with rival charm 
The wife received of God. 



And bless his h(*ly name, 
Till he shall bring the alien home 
To dwell in love again. 

In vision of the night I saw — 

And woke to joyful praise — 

True nature reimprint her law 

That ruled thy former days. 

From nature's pure affections then 

Grace led to love divine; 
Then heaven's bliss alone can bound 

Our mutual joy sublime. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 403 

God grant that this may real prove 

Through coming years of time, 
And in his shining courts above, 

An endless crown be thine. 

The hand of God alone can take 

The broken chords of love 
And knit them in a union sweet 

As love 's pure reign above. 

Here I will close my present rhyme; 

But ever pray for you, ' 

That God may give you back again 

The heart of woman true. 

Then touched by sweet seraphic strains, 

With all the heavenly throng, 
I'll shout aloud my Savior's praise, 

And sing another song. 



TO MY DEAR SIDNEY 

The heart that feels a father's love 
And swells with, love's return, 

Will kindly bear this overflow 
Toward my only son. 

Yes, Sidney's love so blent with mine, 

A poem shall employ — 
A token left to coming time 

That father loved his boy. 

One gentle vine — thy tendrils sweet 

Around my soul entwine; 
A comfort left in sorrows deep, 

One heart to beat with mine. 

Thy life has dawned in peril's day, 
Mid wars that heaven shake; 

Thy summers five, eventful, they 
Like surges o'er thee break. 

Thy little soul has felt the shock 

Of burning Babel's fall, 
When hell recoiled in fury black 
And stood in dread appal. 

But wreaking out his vengeance now, 

Like ocean's terror dark, 
Hell's monster came athwart the bow 

Of our domestic bark. 



404 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Thy guardian angel wept to see 
This brunt of fury sweep 

The girdings of maternity 
From underneath thy feet. 

But pity still her garland weaves 
Arouncl thy gentle brow, 

And angels on thee softly breathe 
Their benedictions now. 

They soothe and bless thy manly heart, 
And wipe away thy tears; 

So tempered to thy bitter lot, 
The bitter Bweet appears. 

An exile now is each to each, 

As banished far at sea; 
A martyr on his island beach, 
I daily think of thee. 

And stronger love has seldom spanned 
The mocking billows wild, 

Than are the chords that ever bind 
To my beloved child. 

Though sundered not by angry main, 
Compelled from thine embrace, 

We flee abroad in Jesus 1 name 
To publish Heaven's grace. 

Thy little heart can not divine 
Why Papa stays away, 

But coming years will tell, if thine, 
The great necessity. 

When sickness crushed thy little form, 
I knew my boy was ill; 

I heard thee in my visions call, 
But duty kept me still. 

A trial deep, to feel thy pain, 
And yet debarred from thee, 

To shoW that sinners lost are in 
A greater misery. 

Oh, may this lesson speak to thee 
When Father's work is done! 

And highest may thy glory be, 
A soul for God is won. 

And now, my son, attentive hear 
My benediction-prayer, 

And ever tune thy heart and ear 
To heaven's music rare; 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 405 

For ere the light of day had shone 

In thy unfolding eyes, 
We gave thee up to God alone, 

A living sacrifice; 

And oft repeated when a babe, 

To God our child was given; 
And Jesus heard the vow we made, 

And wrote it down in heaven. 

So, like a little Samuel, you 
Must answer, "Here am I"; 

Give all your heart to Jesus, too, 
For him to live and die. 

Like Samuel, serve the living God, 

His temple be thy home; 
In love obey his holy Word, 

Thy gentle heart his throne. 

The Lord is good, my darling boy; 

He made thy body well, 
And he will bless thee evermore, 

If in his love you dwell. 

A new edition may you be 

Of Father's love and zeal, 
But yet enlarged so wondrously 

That earth thy tread may feel. 

The poem Throwing Ink at the Devil, refers to the 
printing and publishing of the Gospel Trumpet. The 
place "where two lightning tracks lie crossing" is Grand 
Junction, Mich., where the publishing office was then 
located. 

At Wartburg Castle sat a son of thunder 

Dealing heaven's dynamite, 
When, lo! before him 'peared an apparition, 
Fury-threatening demon sight. 

The piercing words of truth, so long besmothered. 

Flashed the burning wrath upon 
The devil's patent monk and pope religion, 

Which confronts the dread reform. 

Before the dauntless, lion-hearted Luther 

Forth the hellish monster stood, 
Drawn from his prison by the scattering theses 

'Gainst the Romish viper brood. 



406 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

He lifted up his eyebrows knit with thunder, 

To the hellish specter said, 
With stern address, "Du bist der wahre Teufel! " — 

Hurls an inkstand at his head. 

The doctor 's splattering missile, proving potent, 

Drove old Satan from his door; 
But ink he threw on paper at the devil 

Battered down his kingdom more. 

********** 

Not now, as did the sturdy Wittenberger 

Fling an inkstand at the foe, 
But by the mighty force of steam, much faster 
We the battle-ink can throw. 

Just at a point where lightning tracks lie crossing, 
Northward, southward, east, and west, 

The Lord has planted his revolving cannon, 
Firing ink at Satan's crest. 

********** 

Not only toward the main forewinds of heaven 

Sin-consuming ink is shot, 
But right and left in force, 'tis outward given, 

Striking sin in every spot. 

When round ' ' Mansoul ' ' Immanuel plants his army, 

To retake the famous town, 
On "eye-gate" hill he plants this mighty engine, 

Till surrendered to his crown. 

If chance a pilgrim's shield of faith is drooping, 
And his heart with fear oppressed, 

Then comes the ink-winged angel, trumpet sounding, 
And his soul anew is blessed. 

TEUTH 

"And what is truth?" asked Pilate, sober, 

Immersed in deep perplexity, 
And trembled while in judgment over 

The One his final judge must be. 
He asked, but waited not the answer; 

For in his majesty there stood 
The Truth himself -at his tribunal — 

Yea, the incarnate Truth of God. 

Shine on with all thy constellation, 

The precious attributes of God, 
Love, mercy, justice, and compassion; 

For second in thy magnitude 
Thou onlv art in love's effulgence. 

"lam the truth," and "God is love"; 
From both in one omnific fulness 

Proceed the streams of truth above. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 40/ 

High honored and from everlasting 

Thou art, O Truth, a pillar strong, 
Upholding justice, faith, and virtue. 

Before the stars together sang 
Our ill-doomed planet's new creation, 

Thy hand didst hold, on heaven's throne, 
The balance weighing every nation, 

Upon the worlds that round thee shone. 

Thou art the firm and deep foundation 

Of hope and universal good, 
And on thy broad eternal bosom 

Is based the awful throne of God. 
The myriad stars that gem the ocean 

Of boundless space, at thy command 
Pursue their even-tenored motion, 

And are supported by thy hand. 



AUTUMN LEAVES 

A mournful sermon greets my ear! 
The pensive season of the year 
Now preaches in a muffled tone, 
From nature's fast-decaying throne. 
Come to the woodland's cold retreat; 
The leaves that rustle at thy feet, 
With all that linger o'er thy head — 
Commingling, yellow, green, and red — 
And all that, trembling, leave their place 
And softly greet their mother's face, 
As sailing from their lofty top 
They in your presence mournful drop, 
Eemind the thoughtful passer-by, 
Thy falling autumn, too, is nigh. 

Life has its gay and happy spring, 
When birds of every feather sing; 
Its warm and verdant summer, brief, 
Which hastens to the yellow leaf, 
Soon winter's icy hand will lie 
Upon our cold and lifeless clay. 
But oh! our soul — where will it be 
Throughout the long eternity? 
How can this question pass your mind 

As falling leaves drift in the wind? 

******** 

Ah! there's a sweet and sacred spell 
That draws me to the shady dell; 
Here could my soul with God remain 
In meditation's holy frame. 
Ho! all ye men that know not God, 
Come seek him in the shady wood; 



408 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

And, all ye saints of feeble love, 
When will ye come and wisely prove 
The blessedness that crowns the hour 
That's spent with God in leafy bower! 
If only heard your prayers ye say, 
Then unto God ye never pray; 
For did ye truly seek his face 
And pray to win his saving grace 
You'd pray when mortals are not near, 
Bight in your heavenly Father's ear. 
In public, too; yea, everywhere, 
But most of all with secret prayer; 
Where only silent leaves applaud, 
There would ye bow and worship God. 
******** 

Then in the hush of solitude 
Come listen to the voice of God; 
Come oft, and he shall teach thine ear 
His gentle words of love to hear. 

There is no place on earth so sweet 
As forest shades, where streamlets meet 
And sing aloud their rocky ways. 
With birds, and universal praise. 
Do not the lover and his maid, 
Delighted, walk the balmy shade, 
And there unlock, with words so blest, 
The pent-up love within their breast? 
The crazy-quilt spread on the ground, 
Of beauty -tinted leaves around, 
Each bright sunbeam and fragrant flower, 
And nature 's music in the bower — 
But, most of all, the cooing dove — 
Lend inspiration to their love. 
And does not nature's solitude 
Inspire a soul to worship God? 
Behold, he framed her majesty. 
Cast up her hills, and carved the way 
For babbling brooks that flow between 
And tread the winding valley's green. 
The many lovely trees that spread 
Their sheltering wings above our head, 
Eose up by his supreme behest, 
With all their nuts and fruitage blest. 
He taught the vine their trunks to climb, 
Like cords of love their boughs entwine. 
******** 

Hear thou, O man, our autumn chant 
While sunbeams coldly o'er us slant, 
And mournfully we fall so low 
To don our winding sheet of snow, 
There doomed in silence to decay. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 409 

So, too, thou, man, must pass awav; 
Thy springs of love shall lower ran 
Until thy life's last setting son; 
Then in thv grave-suit, coldly wound. 
Like m return to mother ground. 

But we are not without a 5 
From which anew there may proceed 
Our kind to grow and multiply, 
As round and round the seasons fly. 

So. man. within thy mortal breast 
There is a soul, immortal quest, 
That shall reanimate thy clay, 
And both, immortal, live for aye. 
Thou shalt from winter's sleep arise. 
And meet thy Savior in the sk: 
With this blest hope so sure and bright 
AH seasons beam with golden light, 
In winter's storm and Bans id '■ '.. 
The pure in heart have joys comply 
A:_l when the close of life app « 
Their pleasures ripen with his years — 
Unlike the sinner, dark and cold 
Who graceless, godless, hopeless, old, 
8its lowly down in autumn's vale, 
His life all fruitless to bewail. 
Each falling leaf his conscience stings 
And thoughts of future judgment brings: 
Yea, warns him that the time is nigh 
When he in black despair must die. 
Unlike the life in folly spent, 
And now with sinful years is bent 
Low at the grave with dismal moan: 
Nay, "for the righteous light is sown." 
Yea. light that brightens in the vale 
Of falling leaves, where he can hail 
The glories of another world: 

rre mortal shafts are never hurled, 
cruel frosts can ever sting. 
There life begins another spring 
To flourish in eternal green, 
In heaven's high eelestial scene. 

BEAUTTFTTL SPRING 
Ah, gentle spring, thy balmy breeze. 
New chanting 'mid the budding b 
A glorious resurrection sings! 
And on thy soft, ethereal wings 
Sweet nectar from ten thousand flowers, 
That bloom in nature's happy bowers 
Thou dost as holy incense bring 
To Him who sheds the beams of spring. 



4 1 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Far in the South thy bloom appeared, 
And all our journey northward cheered; 
A thousand miles in sweet embrace, 
We northward held an even race; 
Or if by starts we did outrun 
Thy even tenor from the sun, 
Ere long we blessed thy coming tread 
And quaffed, the oders thou didst spread. 

O brightest, sweetest of the year! 
When all is vocal with thy cheer, 
Thy lily-cups and roses red 
With us some tear-drops also shed. 
The cherry-trees, in shrouds of white, 
Bring back to mind a mournful sight — 
A coffined brother 'neath the bloom, 
Just ere they bore him to the tomb. 

Ah, yes, thou sweet, beguiling spring, 
Of thee, my inmost heart would sing. 
"The time of love," all bards agree 
To sing in merry notes to thee. 
Yea, such thou art, and happy they 
Who walk in love 's delightful day 
Along the path thy flakes hath strewn, 
And know indeed her constant boon. 

But what of him who walks alone, 
With past love fled and turned to stone? 
Shall not the springtide music 's roll 
Mock withered joys and sting the soul? 
Not in the heart embalmed in love 
Transported from the worlds above, 
Nor seasons, no, nor else can bring 
Heartaches where only God is king. 

That soul an endless spring enjoys 
Where life the will of God employs. 
He 'mid the fields of bliss may tread, 
And feast on joys that long have fled, 
By sacred memories' glowing trace 
More than the heart untouched by grace, 
Can drink from full fruition's stream, 
Or paint in fancy's wildest dream. 

God! thou art the life of spring, 
The source of all the seasons bring, 
The soul of all the joys we know, 
The fountain whence aur pleasures flow. 
While nature wakes from winter's sleep, 
• And gentle clouds effusive weep, 
We join creation's grateful lays, 
And celebrate our Maker's praise. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 411 

The deaths of individuals furnished inspiration for 
many a verse from Brother Warner's pen. Celia Kilpat- 
rick Byrum was one of the early workers in the Gospel 
Trumpet Office, when the paper was published at Grand 
Junction, Mich. Her death occurred on the 1 1 th of De- 
cember, 1888. 

And is she gone — dear Celia gone? 

Such news would tax credulity 
Did not the Spirit's previous tone 

Toll in our bosom mournfully 
The thought, "She's left this mortal clime, 

And we shall see her face no more 
Until we pass the bounds of time 

And meet upon celestial shore. " 

'Twas in our heart to tune our lyre 

To sing thy cheerful wedding-day; 
But debts are made by fond desire, 

More than our fleeting time can pav. 
So now we sing our mournful lay — 

Another epoch, followed soon 
To thy poor soul, a brighter day 

Than that when blessed beside thy groom. 

The Author of these feeling hearts 

Chides not affection's flowing tears; 
But with them soothing balm imparts, 

And in his arms of love he bears 
Poor nature's heavy burden up: 

So when bereavements press our mind, 
Grace drops such sweetness in the cup 

That even then we comfort find. 

But is she gone whose heart e'er burned 

With such devoted, fervent zeal? 
To bless mankind her spirit yearned, 

Wished every heart God's love might seal. 
She thought no sacrifice too dear, 

Not painful toil and care too great, 
That all this world the truth might hear 

And gain redemption's blissful state. 

O sister, while thy eyes beheld 

Whate'er thy willing hands could do, 

No needed rest thy footsteps held, 
No moderation couldst thou know; 

Regarding not thy slender frame — 
To pious toil so passionate — 



412 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Till thy enfeebled limbs refrained 

To execute thy heart's mandate, 
• **••*•- 

When sickness had already cast 

Irs waning paleness on thy cheek, 
God folded thee within the breast 

Ox love, connubial, warm and deep. 
Thank heav'n for this provision kind, 

To bless, support, and comf rirt thee; 
On those strong arms thy life declined 

Till from thy suffering body free. 
******** 

Dear Celia's gone! How sad the news, 

Dear saints, this mourning Trumpet brings! 
The hands that dropped refreshing dews 

Upon its flying-angel wings 
And toiled so hard to set the lines 

That burned upon your hearts with love. 
Inspired your souls a thousand times. 

Has gone to blissful toils above. 
******** 

Ah! now invert the column rules, 

And dress the Trumpet sad with crape, 

That all who read may know it feels 
And weeps the loss of friend so great. 

Her artful fingers shall no more 
Bet up its many vocal peers, 

Nor shall her anxious heart yet pour 
Upon its sheets her moist'ning tears. 

Her gentle voice, so fine and sweet 

The Trumpet organ's highest key 
Is singing now, at Jesus' feet, 

With heaven's joyful minstrelsy. 
Oh! could we near the pearly gate 

And listen to her ransomed song, 
Our souls would more felicitate 

The bliss of that immortal one. 

The poem The Marriage of a Mr. Hope, is a play on 
the word "hope" and has a slight touch of the humorous. 
It appeared that Mr. Hope. 
Entertained the pleasing hope 
That some hu-peless one among the fair 
Was seeking h:pe frcm life '5 irstair. 
And was pleased with Hope to share, 
The cheerful name of Hope to wear. 
And so good Hope went smiling 'round 
Till the object :f his hope was found; 
Then sitting by the fair one 's side. 
Hope beamed with prospects of a bride. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 4 1 3 

The question asked, the prompt decision 
Turned hopeful's hope to full fruition, 
And so it happened very soon, 
The beau of hope became a groom. 
Then hopeless changed to Hope by name, 
And two hopes but one Hope became. 
Their bark now launched on the stream of hope, 
May all the blessings hope bespoke 

Their voyage crown along the way 
Of hope's uncrowded blissful day, 
And may their happy little bark afford 
A lively crew of sunny Hopes aboard; 
And when to anchor in the harbor driven 
May all their hopes be realized in heaven. 

An interesting imaginative story of some length is his 
poem Soul Cripple City, in which he represents sectarian 
religion as a city wherein the inhabitants walk on crutches. 
The following is the first stanza. 

Not a mere imaginary 

Object, borne on fancy's wing, 
la the city of this story, 

But a real historic thing. 
Though by troupes and proper figures 

We delineate her fame, 
Though she has some mystic features, 

She's an entity the same. 

He takes up the different denominations as particular 
brands of crutches on which people hobble. 

But whereunto shall we liken, 

Or with what similitude, 
Paint this foolish generation? 

Ah! behold the sinful brood! 
All within that mystic city 

Walk not upright on their feet, 
But on crutches play the cripple — 

'Tis a custom they must keep. 

Not a man in all Soul Cripple, 

Not a woman, girl, or boy, 
But must go it on quadruple, 

Must the wooden legs employ. 
Not one ever tried it walking 

On created feet alone; 
Not on crutches to be stalking 
Were a scandal to the town. 



414 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Next appeared the English crutches, 

And the High Episcopal. 
Thence the mania fast increases, 

Every style conceivable. 
Wycliffe crutches, Calvin crutches, 

Quaker, Shaker, Mennonite, 

Wesley crutches, twenty branches, 

M. E. crutches, black and white. 
******** 

Then there are the Baptist crutches, 

Hard-shelled and inflexible, 
Free-will Baptist, bond-will Baptist, 

And the creed Six Principle. 
There are Baptists called Ephrata, 

Saturnarian Baptists, too, 

Anabaptist, Calvinistic 

Baptist crutches we'll undo. 
******** 

In this mart of vain religions 

You will find on Water Street, 

And at all her river stations, 

Crutches vaunted as complete. 

But the clubs that they are vending, 

k Are as hollow as a horn; 

i They that buy need no repenting, 

In cold water they are born. 
******** 

All these bapto 'sociations 

Have a god of water made, 
Leaving fire and salvation 

And the blood without the ! trade, 
More than all the sects who clamor, 

Just to make the sinner wet, 
Who have swallowed down a Campbell, 

And are straining at a gnat. 

He allots special "Additions" to the city for Advent- 
ism, the Salvation Army, Russellism, and Lyman John- 
son of the Stumbling stone. The last of the poem is de- 
voted to God's call to his people to come out of Babylon. 
We give but three stanzas. 

But adieu, for we must travel 

With the remnant who return, 
Fleeing from the fall of Babel, 

To the new Jerusalem. 
Hark! a noise-^ike many waters! 

'Tis the captive's jubilee, 
Like the voice of mighty thunders. 

Halleluiah! we are free! 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 4 1 5 

Jesus is our head and ruler, 

And his Word our only guide, 
And his gentle Spirit leader, 

He our peace, a constant tide 
Flowing in our tranquil bosom, 

Where is reared the mystic throne 
Of the King of peace eternal, 

Where he dwells and reigns alone. 

Oh, the glorious hope of Zion! 

Oh, the riches of her grace! 
Ever happy are the people 

Who abide in such a place. 
God is over all in glory, 

And is through them great and small, 
And he's in them by his Spirit, 

Jesus, Jesus, all in all. 

The Crusades of Hell is the title of a serial poem de- 
scribing the fall of man, the plan of salvation, and the 
different epochs of Christian history. It shows how Satan 
attempted to destroy the church by martyrdom and, fail- 
ing in that, next attempted counterfeiting the church by 
making false churches. 

His poems To the Ocean and Good-By Old Rockies 

were written on his Pacific Coast trip in the autumn of 

1892. 

TO THE OCEAN 1 

Help me, O sweet voice of inspiration, 

Help me sing one gentle lay 
To the ocean's wide and deep creation, 

Singing for us night and day. 
And thou restless sea, with all thy wonders, 

Touch my heart with melody; 
For no bard can sing thy awful numbers 

Uninspired indeed by thee. 

'Twas a balmy evening in October, 

As our train sped on its time, 
That we came in sight of God's great ocean, 

To the old Pacific brine. 
Swiftly gliding down! its ancient orbit, 

The great monarch of the light 

Dropped his golden smiles upon the wateJ 

Ere he bid us all goodnight. 
********** 

Thou a preacher art to all the ages, 
And thy audience all the world; 



416 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Lo! we read thy sermon on the pages 
Of the book that God unfurled. 

And to all that tread thy sand evirons 
Thou dost thunder, yea, and show 

How* the human heart in sin's dominion 
Never, never peace can know. 

As thy waves in ceaseless turmoil labor, 

And in fury beat the shore, 
As they writhe and moan and dash asunder, 

Eise and fall for evermore, 
So the blasting hopes and guilty terrors 

Of the sinner's wretched heart, 
Kestless, fearful, and despairing ever, 

From his bosom never part. 

Only One has sailed upon the bosom 
Of the tempest-troubled sea, 

Who could hush the winds and calm the billows- 
He who spoke to Galilee. 

Only he can break the storms of passion, 
And rebuke the fears of hell; 

Only he can calm the struggling spirit, 
Speak the word, Be still, be still. 

********** 

Oh, I bless thy kindness, friend Pacific, 

For thy temporizing; breath; 
For the climate wafted from thee truly 

Is an enemy to death. 
Sweet and soft and balmy are thy breathings, 

Keeping winter blasts away; 
And I thank thee, Providence, that brought me 

Here to San Diego Bay. 
********** 

On this seacoast I would fondly linger, 
Where the zephyrs gently breathe 

O'er the vineyards vast, and lemon orchards, 
Where the bright pomegranates wave; 

And the golden orange, figs, and guavas, 
Apples, pears, and prunes abound; 

With delicious nectarines and peaches, 
Blessing all the season round. 

Where the ocean moans its solemn numbers, 

And the sun outpours its gold 
On the clouds which hang, while twilight lingers, 

O'er the sea-waves rising bold. 
And the glorious king of day, descending, 

Bids the vintage toilers rest, 
While he cools his fevered brow each evening 

On the great Pacific breast. 



POETIC INSPIRATIONS 417 

good-bye, old rookies 

I love your wild, romantic beauties, 

Ye forms that seem to vie 
Each with the summit of his neighbor, 
And pierce the giddy sky. 
Old Rockies, now to you 
I bid adieu, adieu, 
But hope we parti not here forever. 

I leave you ns I found you, covered 

With winUr 's chilly shroud, 
Reaching toward the starry heavens, 
And manteled in the cloud. 

While I God's mercy preach, 
And you his greatness teach, 
We jointly glorify our Maker. 

I read upon your lofty bulwarks 

The might of nature 's God, 
What fortresses thy hands have builded 
Where human feet ne'er have trod! 
The strength of these are thine, 
And round their apex shine 
Jehovah 's bright creative glory. 

Divine Guidance was a poem of his later years in which 
he reflects on the kind hand of God upon his whole life. 

I own a providence supreme, divine, 
Has ruled and overruled this life of mine, 
Yes, ruled in all that heaven's love bestows, 
O'erruled in that from ill-intending foes. 

But oh, what mystery 

Veiled all his policy, 
And made this life a solemn wonder 1 

To trace the mystic path my feet have trod, 
And note how every step is marked of God, 
How mercy hovered o'er my single blank 
Till at Love 's throne my haughty spirit sank, 

And saw my pardon free 

Flow down from Calvary, 
Unlocks my bosom's grateful fountain. 

But greater, wider, higher, O my Lord, 
My humble walk with thee unfolds thy Word, 
Unfolds thy plenitude of love and grace, 
And helps thy hand in providence to trace. 

And yet high o'er my soul, 

Like ocean billows roll, 
Unsolved, ten thousand sacred wonders. 



418 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 



-if 

r. :1::I. 



siitt! 



t —~ lire 



Besides the foregoing were a number of short poems, 
also a lengthy poem on Faith, which covers over sixty 
pages in his book. His poem on Innocence is referred to 
in our first chapter. 



XIX 

LAST YEARS 

During the last years of his life Brother Warner's time 
was devoted in greater proportion to writing than during 
the preceding years of more active ministerial work in the 
field. Possessing a weak physical constitution he aged 
rapidly and seemed elderly at fifty. Due to an earnest 
desire to accomplish much for the cause of God he had, 
however, a hope that the Lord would 'satisfy him with 
long life,' as the Psalmist expresses it. Whether he had 
any idea that his life might soon draw to a close, it is 
not known, but at any rate he felt prompted, after the 
few years he spent in evangelistic tours, to devote more of 
his time to writing on specific lines of truth. He wished 
in particular to write a book on prophetic subjects. 

He spent the winter of 1891-92 mostly at home writ- 
ing, but he was not altogether satisfied to be out of the 
field entirely. He desired in some manner to combine 
writing with field work. 

We have been very desirous that God should manage this poor 
frail temple so as to get the most effectual service and highest 
degree of glory. That he has enabled us to preach the gospel for 
twenty-six years through constant weakness and many infirmities 
has been a marvel of divine grace and a miracle of divine power. 
Should any one ask why he did not heal us up soundly, we an- 
swer, Many years ago as we cried to God to remove this thorn 
from our flesh, he taught us that he had weighty responsibilities 
to lay upon us, and that our afflictions would contribute to that 
humility and utter dependence upon God that were necessary 
to fill our calling; that in our weakness he would manifest his 
own power. So the Lord chose to display his power in upholding 
us in our afflictions rather than in utterly removing them. So we 
with the apostle 'glory in afflictions, that the power of Christ may 
rest upon us.' 

Of late years our experience has been something like this: 



420 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

When out in the gospel field and speeding our time between meet- 
ings chiefly in conversation with the near brethren, w.-. : - . -t i • 
ways eager to talk about die good Lord and his dealings, an un- 
easiness wcu.d arise in our heart, a conviction that ccu.d we be 
away quietly with the Lord writing the precious things he has 
given us to set forth, time would be better used and G:d more 
glorified.. These feelings created a longing to retire to cur edi- 
torial sanctuary. 

But remaining at home this winter, our mind has not yet been 
exactly satisfied, owing to the many earnest calls to the field. 
Last fail in W coster. Or.ic. we were kmcLy provided '■■•".:.-. ?. r::m 
to ourself. It being only a few moments walk from the hall, we 
could retire in good time, arise about three in the morning, have 
a good long time to wait before God, and yet get an early start 
to work. During that time the Lord blessed us in preaching 
daily, and we got m:re writing done. :: seems t: us, man if at 
home. Ever sm:e. that arrangement has appeared :: my mind as 
the best possible plan for effectual service to God. Since the 
Spirit seems to stir our heart to go forth and preach the word 
and at the same time requires our tome uninterrupted by sur- 
rounding company and conversation, except when we can be a 
special help to some soul, we can see no way but to labor chiefly 
in towns and cities and have a retired p. ace to spend the inter- 
vals between meetings before tne Lord. This wiD enable us to 
make the best use of our time and also avoid th 
fatigue of going about :;tm place to p. ace. God 
because we are not willing to endure hardness a; 
of Jesus Christ, but only for the glory of God, t 
more good in this short .ire. 

He never could remain long out of the gospel field. It 
was not his privilege, however, to earn' out the plan of 
working in cities while engaging in writing. He rather 
had to be subject to calls as they came. To remain in 
one place very long and engage in writing he found to 
be weakening, due to the fact that he was likely not to 
take sufficient exercise. We have already noted his ill- 
ness with rheumatism just before making the trip to Den- 
ver in the spnng of 1892, and his sickness he had during 
that trip. He was not at home long after this trip until 



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The family, as it last appeared 



LAST YEARS 421 

he was called to the Pacific Coast. While on the latter 
tour he spent two weeks, during the holiday season, at 
Farmersville, Cal., writing on his book on prophecy, The 
Cleansing of the Sanctuary. He returned in February 
and attended some of the camp- and grove-meetings dur- 
ing the summer. In the latter part of the following winter 
he spent some time in the home of Bro. B. E. Warren, 
in Springfield, Ohio, writing hymns for a new song-book 
he was helping to edit. This book, Echoes from Glory, 
was ready by the time of the June camp-meeting at 
Grand Junction. 

On Aug. 12, 1893, he was married to Frances Miller. 
This was his third marriage, his second wife having died 
in Cincinnati some time previously. During the summer 
Brother and Sister Warner made a tour to Illinois and 
Missouri, and later to Pennsylvania. 

In the New Year's Greeting, in the Trumpet, for 1 894 
he expressed a desire to make a world tour. He thought 
seriously of doing so, but concluded later that his health 
would not permit. His years were drawing to a close. 
At the end of the Greeting he wrote the following verses : 

My years of time all flee away, 

And, swifter than an arrow, 
I glide along my pilgrim way, 

And hasten to the morrow. 
Away, away, see the moments fly, 

We can not hold them waiting; 
Then on their pinions let us try 
To drop a future blessing. 

My years of time, how fast they flee! 

And yet the scribe of heaven 
Records whate'er my actions be, 

The thoughts my life has given. 
Thanks be to God for his boundless grace 

That keeps the record holy; 
Just ready, Lord, to see my face, 

And enter into glory. 

My years of time are meted out, 
A moment of probation, 



422 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Upon which hangs the awful weight 

Of endless destination. 
Press on, press on, O my soul, and seek 

Eternal life's fruition, 
Since everlasting ages reap 

The fruits of short duration. 

My years of time run on in peace, 

All seem a golden summer; 
And each one, blessed with heaven's grace, 

Shines brighter than the former. 
O God, thou crownest the happy years 

With thy unbounded goodness, 
Thy wondrous love has changed my tears 

To songs! of joy and gladness. 

My years of time will close ere long 

Where blooms an endless spring, 
Where all the ransomed swell the song 

The angels can not sing. 
Eoll on, sweet years, for I know my last 

Will end high up in glory, 
The toil I love will sweeten rest 

And gem my crown of duty. 

In the meantime there had opened up a rather unique 
method of evangelistic work. Bro. G. T. Clayton, who 
had been engaged in the Eastern field, had planned an 
Ohio River campaign. He had purchased a boat 26 x 80 
and fitted it up for a dwelling and a meeting-hall. The 
plan was to float down the Ohio and tie up at every town 
on each side of the river and hold meetings for a season. 
January and February of 1 894 were spent on this Float- 
ing Bethel, as it was called, with Brother and Sister 
Clayton. By this means he could do writing and at the 
same time hold meetings. 

Late in May, 1894, he held a discussion with an 
Adventist leader. He attended during this summer, as 
usual, the general camp-meetings and grove-meetings. 
He began the erection of a house on the camp-ground 
near Grand Junction and by the following winter it was 
sufficiently completed that it could be occupied. 

We are making some quotations from his New Year's 



LAST YEARS 423 

Greeting for 1895. Little did he know that this would 
be his last message of this kind. He died in December 
of that year. 

To all our dear friends and readers we devoutly wish a happy 
New Year. May each of you enter the year with a holy zeal to 
glorify God in your soul and body, which are the Lord's. Noth- 
ing better, can we wish you than the meekness of Christ in your 
heart and life and the omnipotence of faith in your work for him. 

How solemn and awful the place where we stand today! We 
have been carried down the stream of time until we approach its 
very outlet into the boundless expanse of eternity. Upon us have 
fallen the ends of the world. We are called in the providence 
of God to take a part in the last great struggle against the princi- 
palities and wicked powers of this sin-stricken earth. Oh, how 
significant to us are the words of John, "Beloved, it is the last 
time"! The harmonious testimony of all truth and of current 
facts on earth show us that we are rapidly approaching the last 
day of the last days. . . . But we know nothing with any degree 
of certainty. God alone knows the awful day and hour, and we 
may err even in naming the approximate time. Yea, before an- 
other New Year's bells ring on earth the trump of God may pro- 
claim the death of time. One thing is sure, the Lord's coming is 
not very far off, and men of all creeds and faiths seem to agree 
in this. . . . 

... In great weakness of body we began the erection of a 
house last September. Bless God, he has in every way wonder- 
fully blessed us in this work; and now we expect in a couple of 
weeks to move into our house on the camp and take up the 
writing of prophetic truth with a physical and consequent mental 
energy we never before possessed. 

We were consecrated to go to the foreign lands, and indeed 
thought the Lord would soon send us forth. But he showed us 
we were physically unfit. However, we may yet go. Our only 
wish is that God may get the greatest possible glory out of all 
our remnant of time and feeble abilities, coupled on to his om- 
nipotent power and infinite wisdom. 

At the close of the Grand Junction camp-meeting of 
that year, the last year of his life, he wrote the poem 
After the Battle. 



424 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Lo, they are gone; that armored host 

Whose feet have daily pressed 
These grounds have fled their several ways, 

And all is hushed to rest. 
But hark! the leaves upon the trees 

In echoes lisp their song, 
And on the wings of every breeze 

Salvation floats along. 

Oh, sacred ground! oh, honored site! 

Behold, Jehovah's feet 
Have stood among us here, and light 

Eternal, pure, and sweet 
Has glittered from his sword of truth, 

And from his awful eyes 
Two fiery streams have issued forth, 

Revealing sin's disguise. 

No battle-field where armies stood 

In rank, with musketry, 
And garments dyed in human blood, 

Achieved such victory, 
Or turned a scale of destiny 

Of such momentous weight, 
Or ever reared a monument 

Of liberty so great 

- Not with the cannon's roar of death, 

Nor din of battle wild, 
But by the burning fuel of fire 

Salvation won the field. 
'Twas not a crown of earthly state, 

Nor freedom's empty boast, 
But souls upon an awful brink 

Called forth this mighty host. 

The thrones of earth must) crumble down, 

All nations fade away; 
Dotaiinions of antiquity 

Can not abide for aye: 
But spirits captured here from sin, 

And marshalled with the free, 
Shall live and reign and sing and shine 
Through all eternity. 

But they are gone, those heralds strong, 

Wiho stand within the sun, 
And all that army dressed in white 

To other fields have run: 
And from this holy battle-field 

New waves of glory roll, 
And these, in turn, will others wake, 

To spread from pole to! pole. 



LAST YEARS 425 

Amen I amen I let heaven shout, 

And earth break forth in song! 
A thousand camps, ten thousand, groves, 

In every city throng. 
Along the rivers, o'er the sea, 

In Jesus' mighty name, 
The present truth that set us free, 

To all aloud proclaim. 

This was his last poem, so far as is known, excepting a 
few verses he wrote in connection with obituaries. He 
assisted in meetings in the northern part of the State 
during the summer. In this series of meetings he obtained 
very little rest or time for writing, which emphasized the 
desire to devote more time to pen preaching at home. It 
was always hard for him to deny himself the glory of 
the field work, for he enjoyed it; but he felt he must 
settle down to write. 

Besides some other small works, he prepared a new 
tract showing the fallacy of the millennium tradition, re- 
vised the tract on Marriage and Divorce, and wrote a 
book entitled, Salvation, Present, Perfect; Now or 
Never. His major work, however, to which he had for 
some time given attention, was his book on prophecy, The 
Cleansing of the Sanctuary. Of this he had written 
nearly four hundred pages. 

By this time a children's school was started on the 
camp-ground, near Grand Junction. He took quite an 
interest in the school. Among the last things that en- 
gaged his mind was the arranging of a system of Bible- 
study. It is evident that he had in mind some sort of 
training-school, for he had planned courses in history, 
music, penmanship, etc., in addition to Bible-study. 

And now we come to the end of the journey of life 
for Brother Warner. That frail body which had often 
been so wondrously touched and sustained by divine 
power was to be left in the grip of an affliction that should 



426 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

end his earthly career. His work was done. The pur- 
pose to which God had called him had been accom- 
plished. He was to give place to others. This wonder- 
ful man of God, whose physical temple had so often 
by the Holy Spirit been quickened to new life when about 
to fall, and through whose touch the same divine power 
had many times brought help to the afflicted bodies of 
others, must himself now succumb to the hand of Death, 
for in this world all must die. His vitality, always weak, 
and now declining, had but slight resisting power against 
the forces of disease and decay that humanity is subject 
to in this life. An undermining affliction seemed to be 
at work in his body. On Sunday, Dec. 1, 1895, he 
preached a sermon on Christian Growth in the school- 
house (also used for a chapel) on the camp-ground. 
That he should preach while physically weak was no 
uncommon thing and no one realized that he was so near 
the end. That discourse was his last. 

The following Sunday he suffered very much from 
an attack of lung trouble and was unable to speak above 
a whisper. But after prayer was offered he arose, walked 
across the room, and praised God aloud, also joining in 
singing. Thus he fought the fight of faith till the very 
last. His illness soon developed into pneumonia, and he 
went down rapidly. About midnight on the night of 
December 1 1 his watcher, noticing that he seemed to be 
resting easy, left the room to have his midnight lunch; 
but ere he returned the spirit of Brother Warner silently 
took its flight to the glory world above. Thus he died 
in solitude, at about 12:30 A. M. Thursday, Decem- 
ber 12. 

"Our friend and brother dear, whose life 
Made bright this world of ours, 
Has passed away mid early snow, 
Soon after Autumn's flowers. 



LAST YEARS 427 

No days of lingering sickness came' 

To warn us of his death; 
No vision from the silent land 

To tell of parting breath." 

A post-mortem examination revealed an enlarged heart 
but no trace of tuberculosis, which he had in his younger 
days and from which he was miraculously healed and- 
preserved. 

His spirit was very tenacious of life. As ill as he 
was, he arose every morning at his regular early hour, 
and through the day engaged to a slight extent in writing. 
Even the day before he died he was on his feet a part 
of the time. 

The funeral was held on the camp-ground on Sunday, 
the 1 5th. A brief notice of his death was inserted in the 
Gospel Trumpet of December 12. In the succeeding 
issue the obituary appeared in full between draped column 
rules. 

Of the last hymn he attempted he completed only the 
first stanza, one half of the chorus, and the first line of 
the second stanza, the hymn as he left it appearing thus: 

Shall my soul ascend with rapture 

When the day of life is past? 
While my house of clay shall slumber, 

Shall I then with Jesus rest? 

Chorus. 
O my soul, press on to glory, 
Worlds of bliss invite thee on, 

Oh, shall my immortal spirit 

This hymn was afterward completed by Sister Georgia 
Elliot. Music was composed for it, and it appears as 
Number 365 in Select Hymns. 



XX 

AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 



The following dak im nU by nxfividoals who knew 
B rotter Warner personally are of 






andfeltthe 

zz-^dzLk r— y :: ±t 

i-z -ny •...-- ::::-: .-; 5— ;ri ne 
mdthey tried to stop die work, bat failed because it was 
God's work. 

This continued for five years. We fek we should be better oat 

than m it, and often wished to withdraw, bat dsd 

> go. We Made this a subject of special prayer 

We were assured God would bring m and 

lead as in a way we did not understand. 

We bad Dot known Brotber Warner, bat bad beard that be 
was a deceiver and that everywhere be wept be caused the most 
:: :t t t : _ = z::::"it f ;t:t. •:: 1 :~-:z r::~ ~:~. 

that be had jnst closed a veering and tbat the Lord was 
the mot meeting. He said if we coaM 

:t z.=.i :": • .:.: :.: ri:e 

I asked husband what to do. He said, "Mother, do yon bov 

is is the man that we were warned against?" I said. "Yes, I 

tow. bat we are taaymg for God to send as a nun who wnl 

nd practise the whole tram. Now, if this man k of God 

receive him." I went to the Lord with die matter and 

■H JL . r Z£ iL^, JL— » ■ ■ 1 -* - .-i- fc.. ,_J k-JJ - 

_.:_ .. --. -:r _r._.- ..' z =_I ^ 




his card." This was on 
o'clock a load of six drove op to the t 
to the door audknocked. When I opened he said. "Peace be 
this boose." I can not tefl my feefings, bat after I gave 




AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 429 

them a hearty welcome I was conscious they were of God and de- 
cided they should stay as long as God could use them. 

While I was preparing the noon meal for my new guests and 
my family, they sang numbers 43 and 12 out of Songs of Victory. 
[These songs were, Twas Love that Found Out Me, and, The 
Hand of God on the Wall, respectively.] We never before heard 
such heavenly music. The tears streamed down husband's cheeks. 
My daughter was so affected she left the house; it made such an 
impression on her she afterward gave her heart to God. 

God used Brother Warner to help us discern the one body of 
Christ and the evils of sects. We rented a hall. Sometimes it 
was crowded with earnest listeners, and I am sure much good 
would have been done had it not been for the five ministers who 
lived in our town. One night Brother Warner preached with 
such power one of the preachers said, "This is too strong for 
me," and went out. The hall was closed against us and we held 
our meetings in private homes. On occasions rotten eggs, gravel- 
stones, and mud balls were thrown at us, and through it all 
Brother Warner praised God and manifested such a calm and 
gentle spirit one could not help but feel he was a man of God. 
During these meetings some walked thirty miles to hear the truth. 

Brother Warner had been undergoing the great trial of his 
wife's separation from him, and many earnest prayers went up 
for her. He gave us some of his letters to read, which he wrote 
to her, and oh! the gentle spirit, and the kind pleadings which he 
wrote, were enough to break any heart of stone. 

Later we moved to St. Louis, Mich., and it was our privilege 
to have him in our home often. He always preached with power. 
I can say his life and conduct were worthy of imitation. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Walter, 

St. Louis, Mich. 

The first time I met Brother Warner was in February, 1883. 
He came to our home and assisted in cottage-meetings. He was 
a very humble man of faith and one I dearly loved. At the 
first camp-meeting at Bangor, Mich., in 1883, he was called away, 
and I took him to the train. As he stepped from the vehicle 1 
handed him eleven dollars. He raised both hands and praised 
God, as he had had no money for car-fare. 

I was with him one time in Chicago in search of a printing- 
press. At the breakfast-table in a restaurant he poured out his 
heart to God in deep, earnest prayer and thanked God for the 



430 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

food, which drew the attention of many listeners. At noon we 
bought a lunch, so as to save the Lord's money. In an alley just 
off a busy street we found a dry-goods box, which served as a 
place for our meal. Here he again lifted up his hands and in 
a deep sense of gratitude gave thanks to God. 

S. Michels, 

South Haven, Mich. 

In October, 1881, I was visiting in North Eagle, Michigan, 
at my father's, Daniel B. Howe. A brother sent us a Trumpet, 
the first we had seen. In a few days J. C. Fisher and wife came 
there. Father asked him to come 1 and hold a meeting, which he 
did in December, and was there all winter. Many received the 
light. In October, 1882, Brother Warner came and some others, 
and held a meeting lasting several days. That was a wonderful 
meeting to us. When Brother Warner came he seemed to be un- 
der a heavy trial on account of some difficulty that had come into 
his life, and was very sad, apparently unreconciled. 

He stayed at our house, and while there God wonderfully 
blessed hini and the clouds began to lift. When he was preach- 
ing on Sunday morning, the power of God came down on him and 
on the people. AIL wept and shouted. He leaped up a foot or 
more, turned completely around, and came down facing the 
audience. From that time the sorrow and sadness were gone. 

I did not see him again until in 1 894 at the June camp-meeting 
at Grand Junction. I went to where he was staying at the Trum- 
pet Family residence and met him at the breakfast table. He 
asked me how the people were at North Eagle. I told him all 
were well. He put his elbow on the table, his face in his hand, 
and wept like a child for a few moments. Then he said, "Pardon 
me, I have to think of how the Lord blessed me there. I never 
knew that the Lord could bless a mortal man as he blessed me 
at that meeting." 

In 1895, in March, he came to preach my father's funeral. 
While he was waiting for the train at Grand Ledge he wrote a 
poem and read it at the funeral. I next saw him at a grove- 
meeting south of Eagle. He preached a great sermon on the 
Church. He said nothing of other ministers or denomina- 
tions, but his discourse when finished left no place for any other 
church, no possibility of there being another. I never saw him 
again, as he died the following December. 

In my estimation, there never livedl a more holy or godly man 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 431 

than he. I doubt whether any other reformer was any more de- 
voted to the cause of Christ than he, or ever preached sermons 
that were more deep or soul-stirring than his. He lives in the 
hearts of the people today, and in his writings will be heard 
until the end of time. Julia M. Cheeseman, 

Liberty Center, Ohio. 

Brother Warner was one of the most godly men I ever met; 
he was so consecrated and devotional. He had great power with 
God and men; was very humble, and all persons, regardless of 
rank or position, could approach him for help. 

I was at a meeting at Carthage, Mo., where he was preaching. 
An awful storm came up, and we were in its path with a cloth 
tabernacle. At the roar of the wind people became alarmed and 
began to run. Brother Warner cried out, "Stay in the tent; 
not one shall be hurt." Lifting his eyes and raising his hand 
heavenward, he said, "Father, calm this storm sc J can 

be preached" The storm ceased within a short distance, not 
more than a block, away. Much damage was done to buildings. 
The top was blown off the large woolen-mill and box-cars were 
thrown from the track. I was amazed and said, "What manner 
of man is this that even the winds obey?" 

At another time some boys whose people opposed the truth 
gathered in a body and began to drink, and finally came to dis- 
turb the meeting. They did this on two nights. On the third 
night, when Brother Warner was preaching he heard them com- 
ing. He said, "Father, rebuke the devil in these carousing 
boys." That was the last of their disturbance. He was a man 
of faith and was always praising God, even in the deepest trials. 
He was a reformer indeed. Lena L. Matthesen, 

Moore, Okla. 

My memory is poor and I now recall but a few instances. At 
one time while Brother Warner was preaching a terrible storm 
came up. The heavens were black. The congregation was be- 
coming uneasy and fearful. He told them to remain seated; 
that God had given him a message and would not let it rain. 
He asked God to hold the rain till he had delivered the message. 
I do not know how long he was preaching, but it was unusually 
long. God surely held the rain, for when he had finished and 
the people reached their homes the rain poured down tremen- 
dously. 



432 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

Once when sectarians were framing all manner of falsehoods 
and sending them broadcast over the country, some of his friends 
came to him! saying, "How can you stand all this?" He paused 
a moment and then said, "This all came about since I died.'* 

William N. Smith, 
North Star, Mich. 

Once when he was away from home holding meeting, Brother 
Warner felt a strong impression that he should return home. 
Some one offered to take him to the train, though the time was 
short till the train was due. Brother Warner was praying the 
Lord to hold the train. When they came in sight of the station, 
the train was there and soon began to move off. He cried aloud, 
"My God, stop that train for me." The train slowed down. The 
conductor signaled to back-up and stop, and took him on. He 
expressed his gratefulness to God an<$ to the railroad men and 
confessed God in it. 

He told me that at one time he received a telegram from the 
West requesting him to come in haste. He went to his room and 
placed the matter before the Lord. He had no means; but the 
Lord told him to go, doubting nothing, that all things were pos- 
sible with Him. He then, packed his grip and hastened to the 
depot. When he arrived there he continued in supplication to 
God. People began to gather to take the train. All at once 
his eye caught sight of a man hurrying toward the station. The 
man came in, and when he saw Brother Warner, rejoiced, and 
said, "Well, I see you are packed to go." "Yes, I received my 
orders from God to go on a -Western trip." "Well, a man needs 
money to travel on/' the man replied, and then handed him a 
bunch of money. After he had purchased his ticket he noticed he 
had plenty of change left to defray all necessary expenses, and he 
went on his way rejoicing. He arrived at his destination and had 
success. When he was ready tjo return and was in a conveyance 
to go tq the depot, an old sister called to him to stop and said, 
"Here is a little budget; take this." As he was in a hurry he 
just put it in his pocket. Later, when he opened it, he found 
one hundred dollars in gold. He came home rejoicing, like the 
disciples when they were sent out without purse or scrip. 

A. J. Shelly, 
Alma, Mich. 

I was much impressed with Brother Warner's remarkable pa- 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 433 

tience under trying circumstances, and when his frail body was 
racked with pain. On one occasion he and I were on our way 
to a tent-meeting on the north side of Denver. Being quite late 
on account of having gone to pray for the sick, we were waiting 
for a car at a transfer-point, and it seemed to me the car never 
would arrive. I became anxious and paced up and down the side- 
walk (as though in so doing I could hurry up the car), because 
it was then time for meeting to begin. But to my astonishment, 
Brother Warner was humming a song and 'making merry in his 
heart to the Lord.' I said, "Brother Warner, do you ever become 
impatient?" "Impatient!" he replied, "I have not felt impatient 
for fifteen years." I believed it then and I believe it now and 
have ever since that evening. I was striving to overcome anxiety 
and restlessness because of pain, delay, or opposition, and have 
succeeded to a great extent in submitting all to the One who is 
able to cause all things to work together for our good. 

John E. Roberts, 
3830 Stuart St., 
Denver, Colo. 

A TRUE EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY 
One of the most striking examples of true humility that I 
ever saw was on the day I first met and became acquainted with 
Brother Warner. With his company of workers, he came to the 
place where I was expected to preach that day. I was just be- 
ginning in the ministry, and had a very high ideal of a minister, 
to which I was trying hard to attain. WTien I arrived at this 
place, the company had already come, and we simply met and 
were introduced before the Sunday-school began. After the 
exercises were over, and before time to begin preaching, Brother 
Warner came to me and said he understood that I was expected 
to preach that day. I answered yes, but not when a man of such 
reputation and ability as he was present. He insisted that I go 
ahead, as he was very tired from the labors he had been in and 
from the trip which they had just made from the West. I an- 
swered that I could not preach much yet, and if he would speak 
only a little while, it would be a treat to the congregation and 
me. He still insisted that I should preach, and did not seem to 
care to take the pulpit. I plead with him to do so, and said, 
"Brother Warner, I simply could not preach in the presence of 
such a great man as you are." He came up to me and placed 
his arm around my neck and his head on my shoulder, and said, 



434 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

"God bless you, my brother, I am only one of God's little ones." 
This action seemed very strange to me, as I was not acquainted 
with such a spirit in a man of such reputation; but I kept in- 
sisting that he take the pulpit, if not for more than but a few 
minutes. He then said, "Well, then, if you feel that way, I will; 
but I need your prayers." He really did look weary, and seemed 
so frail in body that for a moment I feared I did wrong in urging 
him so hard. 

Well, he began, and I felt that I should be prepared to follow 
him in case he should stop suddenly, and I would finish the ser- 
mon. He preached on the subject of sanctification, and I was so 
desirous that he might be able to give us a full sermon on this 
precious subject. Well, he had hardly begun when he seemed 
to change into another man, and my fears were soon gone that he 
might have a physical breakdown before the close. That weary- 
look and the appearance of frailty soon disappeared, and the 
wonderful words that he spoke were full of power and authority. 
I was soon lost in the glorious truths of the sermon and was un- 
conscious of my surroundings. \V*hen he sat down, we were 
surprized to find that he had preached just three hours, which 
seemed such a short time to all of us. 

The deep impression of the humility of this man of God and 
the divine power with which he preached had this effect upon my 
heart: If this is "but one of God's little ones," where will there 
ever be a place for such an ignorant beginner as I? My ideal 
of a minister was wholly changed, and it was for some time that 
I had great difficulty to believe there was a place for me. But 
having the privilege of sitting at Brother Warner's feet in a 
series of meetings following that day, I was greatly helped to try 
to sink into deeper humility, and through the grace of God find 
my place in the body, the church. This impression of humility 
has remained with me these years, and has often been a protec- 
tion when at times there would be presented temptations to self- 
exaltation. 

A WISE ANSWER 
In one of the meetings that Brother Warner and his company 
held in our home neighborhood my older brother had become 
very much interested in the good singing of this company. He 
was passionately fond of good singing, and though working hard 
all day, could not stay away from the evening meetings. But 
he had become backward in his spiritual life, and knew he was 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 435 

living far below the standard that Brother Warner was holding 
up. At the close of one of the evening services Brother Warner 
met my brother and asked him how it was with his soul. The 
answer was this: "I simply confess to you that I don't have 
enough brains to understand sanctification." These words were 
spoken in a spirit of resistance and self-justification. Brother 
Warner looked into his face with a kindly and humble smile and 
said: "God bless you, Brother John, it doesn't take brains."* 

HOW A VICTORY WAS WON BY PRAYER 
While Brother Warner was with us in San Diego, Cal., he gave 
a series of lessons on the Revelation, and preached hard against 
the errors of Millennialism. A man who had come amongst us, 
who was a preacher, and seemed to be accepting the truth very 
well, but had not received the light on this line, became very 
much offended at the sermon Brother Warner preached that even- 
ing. He seemed to lose his patience altogether, and manifested 
anger. He came forward to Brother Warner before the congrega- 
tion had left the hall and in a loud voice and with a face express- 
ing real bitterness said, "The Lord shows me that you are of the 
devil." He had hardly finished his words when Brother Warner 
fell on his knees and began to pray, right at the feet of his 
accuser. 

I never before heard such a pitiful prayer, as he poured out his 
heart to God for this dear man who had brought such a charge 
against the servant of the Lord. He prayed that the man might 
be able to see his wrong, that God would reveal thej truth to his 
understanding, and also- bless the people who were standing and 
looking on at this scene ,of Christian discourtesy, etc. We were 
all so shocked at the unusual act that it was hard to know just 
what to do but stand there, which we did, until the prayer was 
over. After finishing the outpouring of his soul in prayer, he 
quietly rose from his knees, and went away. 

*It was characteristic of Brother Warner to give ready and wise 
response and oftentimes to answer an objector on his own ground 
or in his own terms. It is related that in a certain meeting 
after he had preached on holiness an opposer arose and vocifer- 
ously denounced the doctrine, saying in his closing remarks, "I 
pray God to scatter this old holiness doctrine to the four winds 
of the earth." Immediately Brother Warner responded with a 
shout of "AMEN"! The effect was terrific, and the opposition 
was confounded. 



436 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

The accuser was one of the most surprized people I ever saw. 
During the prayer he stood as though riveted to the floor, his 
deathly pale face turned down toward Brother Warner. His 
hands hung by his side, and he had the appearance of one para- 
lyzed. For a while after Brother Warner had risen from his 
knees, the man remained fastened to the spot. The congregation 
began going out, and finally the man also took his hat and left, 
without one word. 

The next night, in the presence of a large audience, this man 
arose and came forward to Brother Warner, weeping and humbly 
asking that he might be forgiven for the great offence toward him 
and the people. He said the Lord had shown him that Brother 
Warner was right, and he did all that could be expected to right 
himself with God. From that time he was a strong advocate of 
the truths of the reformation. 

The wisdom of God that was manifested in this moment of 
sudden surprize, in this critical condition, had a wonderful effect 
upon the people. J. W. Byers, 

618 Palm Ave., Fresno, Cal. 

Very early in my experience in the reformation I was staying 
at the home of Brother and Sister Fry, in Michigan. I had been 
under accusation for some time. Brother Warner was coming to 
hold a tabernacle-meeting right near their home. I determined 
that when he came I would go to him and tell him I was back- 
slidden and ask him to pray with me. I did not go to see him 
until just before he arose to preach, hence said nothing to him 
regarding my condition; but I shall never forget that sermon. 
He arose, and with 1 his eyes filled with tears he broke the bread 
of life, and my accusations were swept into oblivion, and my 
soul received a glorious refreshing. It made one think of the say- 
ing of Jesus, "Feed my sheep.'* 

At another time, on the old Deerfield (Ind.) camp-ground, I 
followed him to the meeting one morning, and though he was al- 
ways frail it seemed he 1 was worse that day, so that he almost 
reeled as he walked. After singing, we all knelt in prayer, and 
Brother Warner prayed, "Now, Lord, thou hast laid this message 
upon me; give me\ strength." He sprang to his feet and leaped 
all over the floor. He preached for a long time. That made a 
lasting impression upon me, for I knew he received help directly 
from heaven. J. W. Daugherty, 

Glenville, Nebr. 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 437 

It would require much more space than is at my disposal to nar- 
rate even half of the things that stand out prominently in my 
memory concerning the life of D. S. Warner and its influence 
upon me. As his last years were spent in my home community, 
and he was often in the home of my parents, I was intimately 
acquainted with him from my childhood's earliest recollection 
until I was past fifteen years of age, when he died. This associa- 
tion being at the impressionable period of my life, multitudes of 
events were stamped indelibly upon my memory. 

I shall mention but three of these incidents. The first occurred 
in the autumn of 1890. An assembly was being held at Geneva 
Center, a short distance southwest of Lacota, Mich. One day 
while a special service for children was being held I sat upon the 
front seat, listening to the kind, persuasive words of instruction 
and admonition being given by Brother Warner. At the close 
of a short talk he asked, "How many of you children want to 
give your hearts to the Lord?" and then without waiting for a 
reply he turned to me, and with love and tenderness beaming from 
his kindly eyes, asked, "Do you not want to get saved now?" 
Instantly my heart was; stirred. I knelt at the altar and Brother 
Warner came and prayed for me. Laying his hands upon my 
head, he said, "Lord, give this boy a new heart; take away from 
him the stony heart and give him a heart of flesh." I felt im- 
mediately the touch of God. I was born of the Spirit. My young 
heart was filled with holy joy. Can I ever forget that glad mo- 
ment? Not so long as I have a being. When time, as we know 
it, has ended, when old earth itself has grown weary and ceased 
to go round, and when all the stars of the heavens have forgotten 
to shine, I shall still praise God for the revelation of divine life 
that thrilled my soul on that glorious morning. And when I 
wander over the green fields of the heavenly paradise, or sit down 
with my Lord in the city of God, I want to renew that association 
with Brother Warner and thank him for what he did for me. 

Brother Warner's preaching always possessed for me an irre- 
sistible charm. His doctrinal sermons took hold upon me, es- 
pecially those devoted to prophetic subjects. I remember dis- 
tinctly one sermon on prophecy, delivered at the camp-ground, 
near Grand Junction, Mich. It created a lasting impression upon 
my mind. Although he preached for four hours and ten minutes, 
the time did not seem long. I have no doubt that my later 
interest in doctrinal themes is due, in a great measure at least, 



438 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

to those early impressions, when the Spirit of God stamped the 
truths of his Word upon my soul. 

The third incident that I shall mention was a sermon preached 
by Brother Warner, just a short time before his death. It was 
delivered at the camp-ground. The subject was Heaven. So 
inspiring was this message that it created in me an intense long- 
ing to go to that place of light and life — a longing that abides 
with me still. F. G. Smith, 

Anderson, Ind. 

I can not find words to express the help and comfort Brother 
Warner was to me. I well remember the bitter persecutions he 
and his company met while here in the South. His pure, holy 
life and the radical preaching are still living in the South. I 
remember hearing him preach one night, in a private house, on 
the oneness of God's people. He was so filled with the Holy 
Spirit he would leap and praise God. The ceiling overhead was 
very low. He said the leaps in his soul were higher than the 
ceiling of that house. I thought every time he left the floor he 
would hit the ceiling. He and his company were in our house at 
Spring Hill when the angry mob came after him; but the Lord 
took care of him. Mrs. Demaris (Smith) Vance. 

Meridian, Miss. 

Brother Warner was the man under whose preaching I was 
convicted for salvation. I had gone fifteen miles to hear him, and 
when I arrived on the ground I was met by an old friend of mine 
who had been one of the worst men I have ever known. He said 
to me, "Praise God, I am glad you are here." This made me 
feel that after all there might be a chance for me to obtain free- 
dom from the sins that held me. When I went to meeting that 
night and Brother Warner was pointed out to me, I thought to 
myself. "I fear there is not much to him." But they sang and 
Brother Warner began preaching. I never had heard a man 
preach as he did. After the meeting, several were prayed for 
and healed. Something came over me as I stood and seemed to 
go off the ends of my fingers, and I said to myself that this was 
the first camp-meeting I ever attended that was not ruled by 
Satan, and that if I could get this religion I could keep out of 
hell. 

One day some one arose and testified that he was still "chaw- 
ing" tobacco and asked all to pray that he might hold out. 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 439 

Brother Warner remarked that all the saints were testifying for 
Jesus but this man got up and testified for his tobacco. This was 
a new kind of talk to many of us. Brother Warner was one of 
the greatest preachers I ever heard. God was with him in such 
power as no one else seemed to have in those days. 

R. H. Owens, 

Mt. Pleasant, La. 

At a grove-meeting near Antwerp, Ohio, some roughs came to 
break up the meeting. They divided into two squads, one to pass 
to the one side of the congregation and the other to the other 
side. They were prepared to throw eggs, but the leaders of the 
two squads said, "Don't throw until something is said to justify." 
They marched to their places and waited. Brother Warner was 
preaching with wonderful anointing, and shouting. Finally the 
leader on one side said, "There shall be nothing thrown at that 
man by my consent. He is preaching the truth; he is a man of 
God." So they started back. Strange to say, those on the other 
side did the same, and the two parties met. One said, "Why 
didn't you throw?" The other said, "Why didn't you?" The 
leader repeated as before remarked. Finally one big fellow said, 
"Well, I am going to take one shot, anyway," and he threw 
an egg right into the congregation. There was a man sitting 
near the front who was a sectarian; the egg struck him directly 
in the face and broke over him. He made quite a splutter. 

At a meeting at Rising Sun, Ohio, Brother Warner was 
praying in an opening service when some one threw a pack of 
cards over their heads. After the preaching the people were 
gathering up the cards. He said, "Amen, gather them up; the 
devil has surrendered; he has given up his testament." 

J. N. Howard, 

Nappanee, Ind. 

It was in the spring of 1891, in southern Indiana, that I first 
met Brother Warner. I shall never forget the impression he 
made on me as he stepped into our home. I felt so sensibly 
the presence of God with the man. He held a two weeks' meeting 
at our place at that time. A number of souls were saved. 
Opposition ran high. The meeting was held in the schoolhouse 
near to a sectarian meeting-house. The preacher who preached 
at this place tried to get a revival started, but failed. One 
minister rode all day on a Sunday trying to gather up a mob 



440 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

to drive the brother out of the country; but the people so 
much enjoyed his preaching and were so won to the man by his 
gentleness and the clearness of his teaching that they would 
not rally to the opposers' standard. 

I had the pleasure of having himi in our home at a later 
time for about three months. It was at this time that we 
learned more about his prayer-life. My father-in-law once drove 
him out of the woods where he had gone for prayer. Those 
prayers, however, and his patience and calmness while being 
driven out of the woods resulted in my mother-in-law's salvation. 

He had a great, sympathetic heart and consequently could 
comfort the sorrowing as few men could. He preached the 
funeral of my little boy, and his words pf comfort were as a 
healing balm. He and I roomed together at one time, when 
he held a ten nights' debate with a Seventh-day Adventist 
preacher. Here he again impressed me with his mighty prayers. 
After going to our room he would wrestle long and earnestly 
with God in prayer before retiring. I have always felt much 
indebted to him for his example in prayer and holy living. 

C. E. Orr, 
Everett, Wash. 

For about seven years we traveled with Brother Warner in 
the ministry. Our work was incessant, winter and summer. 
My intimate association with him impressed me with his deep 
devotion and sterling Christian character. He was a student 
of rare ability and an efficient New Testament minister and 
writer. He was not given to lightness, sentimentality, or idle 
words. He was sober, serious, and impressive in both words 
and actions. No one could enjoy his presence and association 
unless he, like him, would live spiritual and close to God. His 
whole life and ambition were the spread of the pure gospel and 
the well-being of souls. He used no empty words in his manner 
of preaching. His messages were weighty and impressive. 

I remember one time in Canada where God's presence was 
so manifest in one of his sermons that when he was through 
preaching the entire congregation to an individual knelt in 
prayer and sought the Lord for pardon and peace. He was a very 
busy man. He was up early in the morning and late at night 
studying, writing, preaching, or helping some needy soul. He 
was charitable, sympathetic, hospitable, and self-denying. His 
life was full of constant peace and victory. I can not estimate 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 441 

the value and worth to me of my intimate association with him 
through those years. 

He was evidently chosen of God as a great reformer. While 
he was meek, mild, and gentle, he was heroic and fearless 
as a Martin Luther. We shall do well to preserve his words of 
writing and to remember his example, for we shall thereby be 
worth more to God and souls. 

B. E. Warren, 
Springfield, Ohio. 

It is indeed a pleasure to me to contribute a few lines of 
kindly remembrance of our departed brother D. S. Warner. It 
was the good pleasure of our heavenly Father that my dear 
wife and I live with Brother and Sister Warner as members of 
their household for some fifteen months before he died. I can 
say with all truth that the gospel he preached he lived. He was 
always cheerful, kindly, and affectionate in brotherly love to all 
about him, ready to give wise and fatherly advice and counsel. 
He was very devoted and much given to prayer in his home. He 
spent much time in his library with his books and translations 
of the Scriptures, and did much writing and correspondence, his 
wife assisting him much. The book Salvation; Present, Perfect; 
Now or Never, he wrote at this time and he read the manuscript 
to us before it was printed. 

He loved to talk of God's dealings with him; how God led 
him step by step out of error and confusion and many deep 
difficulties, how he was violently persecuted by false brethren, 
how his wife became deceived and separated from him, etc. He 
would tell of how God revealed to him the sect Babylon of the 
Revelation and gave him to understand that he must cry out 
against her and expose her sins; how Babylon loomed up before 
him as a great black mountain, and that God was taking him 
as a worm to thresh it, and how he shrunk back at the thought 
of being thrown against such a seemingly impregnable wall. 
"God made me see," he said, "that I was nothing but a little 
mouse, but that he had his hand over me," then he would feel 
encouraged. 

What God accomplished through him some of us know some- 
thing about, and the results are glorious. Verily he being dead 
yet speaketh! Curtis W. Montgomery, 

27 Chestnut St., 
Marcus Hook, Pa. 



442 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

In the winter of 1888-89 Bros. Geo. T. Clayton and Charles 
Koonce came to our community, near Cochran's Mills, Armstrong 
Co., Pa., preaching what was generally termed "a new doctrine," 
a "turning the world upside down." I was a boy sixteen years 
old, and the first night of the service walked four miles to the 
meeting. The first sermon made a deep impression on my mind. 
During that meeting quite a congregation was raised up for the 
truth. 

A few weeks after the close of this meeting, Brother Warner 
and company came. They arrived in spring wagons from Blanco, 
Pa., a distance of about thirty miles. I was working with my 
father in the field when they passed down the road, singing 
The River of Peace, and shouting, "Halleluiah!" We never 
witnessed such a scene. Singing and shouting along the public 
road was characteristic of Brother Warner's company in those 
days. At night people would rush to their windows to hear 
the singing, and remark, "The angels are coming." 

In this meeting Brother Warner's preaching was all doctrinal. 
It was all new to us; but I never was able to shake off the 
convictions that fastened! on my heart that these people had the 
truth. I said I wanted their kind of religion. 

In August of 1892 we attended the Perryville (Pa.) camp- 
meeting. I well remember going to the depot from the camp- 
ground for some baggage, and of meeting on the way Brother 
Warner and company, who had just arrived. At first they did 
not recognize me ; but when 1 said, "Praise the Lord," Brother 
Warner arose in the spring wagon and lifting his hand to heaven 
shouted at the top of his voice, "Halleluiah! praise our God 
for eternal salvation ! " and all the company joined with loud 
amens and, "Glory to God!" 

At this meeting also Brother Warner's preaching was about 
all doctrinal. The great fundamental truths of full salvation, 
holiness, the church, unity, the downfall of sect Babylon, and 
the command to come out of her, the great apostasy, the last 
reformation, divine healing, etc., were preached uncompromis- 
ingly. I will say, brethren, this kind of preaching confirmed 
the saints and brought out clearly the holy remnant from the 
folds of confusion and drew the line in the manner that people 
knew the way to Zion and rejoiced in their freedom. Sinners 
were soundly converted under this preaching. They were not 
born dead. People usually came through at the altar shouting. 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 443 

It was not unusual during a sermon to see one hundred saints 
on their feet shouting and Brother Warner leaping and crying, 
"Fire! fire!" We all got this inspiration, and leaping and 
shouting were characteristic of most of the early preachers 
in the pulpit. 

In the summer of 1893, wife and I attended the Grand Junc- 
tion, (Mich.), camp-meeting. When the train from South Haven 
stopped at the station I heard a great shout, and looking over 
near the Trumpet Office saw Brother Warner leaping and shout- 
ing, crying at the top of his voice as the saints were getting off 
the train, "The holy remnant is pouring in." That was a great 
meeting, the most powerful I ever attended. Miracles were 
wrought and devils "crying with a loud voice, came out of many 
that were possessed with them." 

Brother Warner impressed me as a man of deep piety and 
spirituality. He was very humble and tender-hearted. Many 
were the warm-hearted counsels and admonitions he gave to 
the younger ministers, and these were delivered in tears, with 
a, "God bless you, my dear brother." He was a very able man 
in the Scriptures, and one of the deepest in prophecies I have 
ever heard. He was slow to see the faults of others; but able to 
expose wrong-doing when he clearly discerned it in any one. He 
was very definite and radical in his preaching, and eternity 
alone will reveal what he suffered because of his bold defense 
of what he believed to be the truth. We who knew him best 
would never question his sincerity. He was a reformer in 
every sense of the term. The influences of his life and ministry 
will sweep onward till time shall end. The principles he advo- 
cated are more and more being recognized by spiritual people 
everywhere, and the fires of reformation are destined to sweep 
the earth until 

1 ' We girdle the globe with salvation, 
Aud holiness unto the Lord; 
Till light shall illumine each nation. 
The light from the lamp of his word. ' ' 

H. M. Riggle, 

Akron, Ind. 

As a young worker in Brother Warner's company for a few 
months I was deeply impressed with his kindness, courtesy, and 
humility. He often exhorted the young ministers and workers 
to seek humility of heart, and often related an incident of his 



444 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

personal experience in talking with the Lord, when the Lord 
said to him, "Be humble, my child, be humble/* 

He had a great burden for the gathering of God's people, the 
prosperity of Zion, and the salvation of the lost. To this end 
he dedicated his time, talents, and means, and was so self- 
denying that he would share his last penny with those in need. 
He said, when he finished a Bible subject or outline for a sermon, 
"There's the skeleton, I'll trust the Lord to put the meat on it." 
I heard him say, "Satan puts us in his sieve that he may sift 
all the good out of us; God puts us in his sieve that he may 
sift all the bad out of us." 

Brother Warner was a son of thunder in delivering truth 
against false religions,; but as wise as a serpent and as harmless 
as a dove in dealing with the erring ones. 

Nora Hunter, 

San Diego, Cal. 

I also wish to bear personal testimony of Brother War- 
ner. The first time I met him was on Apr. 7, 1888, at 
our family home, near Albany, 111. He with his com- 
pany were on their return from their Western tour. I had 
been teaching school in Iowa during the previous winter 
and had also engaged myself for the spring term, but had 
a two weeks' intermission for vacation, which I decided 
to spend at my home. How wonderful that the course of 
life may turn on a mere decision, which at the time may 
seem to involve no particular consequence. It was dur- 
ing that two weeks' interval that I met Brother Warner 
and came in contact with the reformation movement. 

On the date mentioned, the little company of evange- 
lists arrived at our house. They were brought thither 
by Brothers Knight and Daniels from the former's home, 
near Fulton, where they had arrived the day before. My 
father and I had gone to engage a schoolhouse for meet- 
ing. When we returned two men were standing at our 
front gate conversing, one of whom was Brother Warner. 
My father made himself acquainted and then introduced 
me, informing Brother Warner that I had been converted 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 445 

only a short time before. As he reached to shake my 
hand he said, so appreciatingly, "Well, that's good 
news," and there beamed out of those soft blue eyes a 
Christian love and tenderness that made a lasting impres- 
sion on me. That he should so rejoice in spirit at the 
knowledge of my conversion seemed to give me a spiritual 
uplift and to place my appreciation of things spiritual on 
a higher level. It seemed that during that week when 
Brother Warner and company were with us our home was 
a heavenly paradise. I regard that week as the brightest 
and most full of destiny to me in all my life's history. 
There was something about the happy, victorious spirit 
of those dear saints that exalted Christianity in my con- 
ception and made it a thing very much to be desired. 
The impression made upon my young heart at that time 
can never be erased. 

My mother had been reading the Trumpet and had 
formed the opinion of Brother Warner that he was a 
great and wonderful man. So when she met him she ex- 
claimed, "And is this Brother Warner!" His reply was, 
"Yes, and he is the least man you ever saw." 

In the meeting that followed he instructed me in my 
consecration for sanctification. As I arose, ready to 
venture on God's promise, he discerned my faith and 
broke the way before me by claiming the promise with 
me. 

When my mother died, in July, 1894, I was engaged 
in the publishing work at Grand Junction. The telegram 
notifying me of her death said also, "Bring Brother War- 
ner." This message was received late in the evening, and 
Brother Warner had retired. I went to his room and in- 
formed him of the request. He was feeling bad physi- 
cally and wondered if Brother could not go instead. 

I knew that no other person available could give the 



446 BIRTH OF A REFORMATION 

satisfaction Brother Warner could, and so expressed my- 
self to him. Finally he consented. Although he was 
weak and tired he arose from his bed and prepared to go. 
It was never in him to shirk what might be interpreted as 
duty. He believed in taking the Lord for his sufficiency, 
and the Lord did not disappoint him. We had to take 
a night train for Chicago, and before we reached the city 
he said he felt stronger than when he started, and this in 
spite of his having been deprived of rest. He preached 
the funeral discourse, wrote quite a lengthy obituary and 
poem, and even responded to a request to preach in an 
evening service. It was wonderful how he could take 
God for his strength and his every need. His life seemed 
to be a constant miracle. 

I have traveled with him, slept with him, taken part in 
his meetings, and have been associated with him in editori- 
al work, and thus have known him at close range and he 
was always God-fearing, humble, loving, devoted, full of 
faith, and possessed of singleness of heart, to a degree 
rarely known among men. His life, so exemplary, was 
an object lesson of Christian attainment and of what God 
can do for and through weak humanity. It was an in- 
spiration to feel the touch of his Christian spirit. And 
thus we exalt, not the man — for apart from the divine in- 
fluence that ruled his life he would have been very com- 
monplace — but we exalt the God who can take such 
humble instrumentality and by a transformation of being 
use it to accomplish his work in the earth. It is the Christ 
in man that we are to exalt and to follow. 



The body of D. S. Warner lies, near where it fell, in 
a rather lonely spot some distance off the thoroughfare, 
in the sparsely-wooded edge of the camp-ground near 




The new monument 



AS OTHERS KNEW HIM 447 

Grand Junction, Mich. This place, where are situated 
a few other graves and where the proximity to the empty 
cottages on the camp-ground gives an aspect of deser- 
tion, is a place for reflection. Here nature undisturbed, 
through the succession of bursting buds of spring, refresh- 
ing dews of summer, sighing breezes and gently falling 
leaves of autumn, and rigorous storms of winter covering 
all with a shroud of snow, is heard to speak silently but 
eloquently of the brief cycle of life on this earth, of the 
grave as our last resting-place, and of the fact that "here 
we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.*' 
One thinks, when standing beside this grave, of the won- 
derful accomplishment crowded into that short career, 
and of the reward of a life of faithful service. And one 
feels springing from the depths of the heart this choice, 
that come what may of toil and self-sacrifice in the Chris- 
tian service, come what may of reproach and persecution 
for Christ's sake, "let me die the death of the righteous, 
and let my last end be like his." 



